Lawal withdraws from draft
For a big (PF or C) who wants to receive guaranteed money, this is the year to be in the draft. It's a weak draft. Prior to end of the season, there were no fewer than 5 bigs rated higher than Lawal who I thought would come out for the draft and did not (Cole Aldrich, Craig Brackins, Greg Monroe, Patrick Patterson, Jarvis Varnado). That list does not count Ed Davis, Derrick Favors, or Solomon Alabi, who may come out next year.
If Lawal is withdrawing because he wants to become a more refined player, then he's making the right decision.
You must be a Georgia Tech fan.?? Tech sucks, they were 12-19 last year. They lost Aminu & Clinch. Granted Favors will help a lot but their guards are still weak. Storrs & Miller were non factors last year. It takes a stud Freshman to come into the ACC and make a difference. I don't think Georgia Tech will make the tournament.
I like Georgia Tech but they're not my favorite team even though I know a lot about them. Storrs was a factor with his 3 point shooting and Miller suffered 2 concussions and a broken nose so that greatly affected his play. Shumpert will play 2guard this year instead of PG and he could have a huge year. D'Andre Bell is back from injury and he's that glue guy and brings that senior leadership and defense. Udofia is one of the top incoming PG's in the country and Glen Rice is a top 50 player that knows how to score the ball. Oliver is a top 150 wing who is a great 3 point shooter mix that in with one of the best front courts in the country and you're incredbiley talented.
Georgia Tech better make the tourney next year or Hewitt is the worst coach of all time. A 6 year old girl could lead them to the tourney next year.
I just read somewhere that Gani Lawal pulled his name out of the draft. While the draft being almost totally devoid of big men could have meant Lawal being somewhere in the 20-25 range, I think it was a good decision, as he is raw and could use some work on his game, plus the fact that he would most likely not contribute much in his first year with whatever team that drafted him. This also improves Georgia Tech tremendously, as Lawal and Favors in the front court should be a pretty great combo. I think you have to like Lawal's energy and toughness, even if he is somewhat raw. I think late lotto to around 20 next year is a very good possibility. Georgia Tech could indeed surprise, as I am sure that Derrick Favors plus some of their other new recruits make Lawals life easier, even though Alade Aminu and Lewis Clinch are big losses. Iman Shumpert is also going to pick up some slack though, the Yellow Jackets should be quite interesting and might have multiple names in the first round of 2010.
I also just saw that Jodie Meeks is staying in. I am guessing that he is most likely going in the first round, but even with his fantastic season, he is a very tough prospect to gauge. Averaging 24 per game in the SEC is no joke, but Kentucky was not by any means a great team and another guy who killed in Billy Gillespies system was Acie Law, who has yet to impress in his two years in the league. Not saying that Jodie and Acie are similar by any means, but I think that Acie's lack of production could possibly lead to teams reluctance to draft a guy like Jodie Meeks, plus his size and average athleticism play a part. I have no idea how Meeks will translate to the league, but I think his stock was as high as it could get. If he went back to Kentucky, even if they were to win a title next year, scouts pick apart his game like crazy and there would have been no way he could have repeated his season. I also think his leaving might make me reconsider Kentucky as my favorite to win and maybe go back to Kansas, who I think is deeper at guard and probably even at big, albeit without the straight up talent Kentucky has.
Udofia and Rice will be factors, especially Udofia. Storrs was playing outside of his role and that why he has struggled (he is a shooter) and Miller will sooner or later hand the keys to Udofia. The loss of Aminu and Clinch arent as big as you think, lets not go overboard. Favors is better than Aminu and he takes his spot. remember
Okay, so he may actually hurt his draft stock by going back because now he'll be under a bigger microscope, but the guy knows what he is doing. He understood the drafting procedure, and used it to his full advantage. He listened to what the REAL scouts told him he needs to work on, and will spend the next 12-24 months doing that. He understands his limitations, and strengths, and will capitalize on those in the upcoming years. This guy, whenever he decides to enter the draft, will be ready to contribute, immediately.
He won't be the man next year so there's no point really, but it does help their program a great deal and they will go deep! and I don't know if they can still get one huge recruit in Noel Johnson who withdrew his commitment from USC or if he's gonna back away because Gani withdrew
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4257782
I think it's a good move. Another year of seasoning could move him into the lottery next year.