Samardo Samuels officially throws his name into the NBA Draft discussion

with your assessment that this team won’t compete for a Big East or NCAA title. Although we have a few flaws, I think we’ll make the improvements needed to compete. I for one think this is a sweet 16 team or better next year.

if Samardo leaves, which he won’t (there were times last year against lesser competition he looked lost and undisciplined), we will have to give Terrence Jennings a few games to get used to being the guy in the middle. I like TJ’s defensive effort much more the SS anyways.

Pitino’s comments make it sound like his family is really pushing him to go. Can’t necessarily blame them for wanting their son to make money in the NBA, but I am a little bit surprised that they apparently don’t follow much of the draft talk, as I can’t recall anyone saying anything about SS getting drafted this year.

I do like that Pitino is going to make everything go through his office, as should eliminate the chance for SS to make a stupid mistake and then become ineligible.

What’s Samardo Thinking? Something tells me that he doesn’t want to play for Pitino. I think in his mind Pitino is holding him back. You could tell a couple of times last year that Samardo was zoning Coach out and wasn’t listening to him. He may be just another spoiled know it all McDonalds AA and thinks he didn’t need coaching or development, just exposure. Now he sees players like Daniel Orton going to the draft averaging 3pts and 2rbs and he thinks why not him. He was expecting to come in and dominate for a year or two and go to the NBA. He hasn’t realized that the Big East exposed his weaknesses and there are quite a few. If he had gone to a smaller school where they may not have been very good but he would been given full reigns to do whatever he wants on the floor he would be in the NBA right now. I’m only guessing as to what he’s thinking but it kind of makes sense.

and are scared of the lockout, I see where they are coming from. With the deadline being May 8, we really won’t have to wait too long to find out if he stays in the draft.

I see lots of good things for this team. More floor time for the guys who were losing space to the seniors last season will let them develop more quickly. Siva is better than Sosa. Sorry, he is. I know that when someone goes four and shows heart we want to gold plate their career, but Sosa was a spotty guy. Like Bilas said – he kept both teams in every game.
I do think that we need samardo back, and I think he’s going to stay. I can’t imagine where in a field of 60 players he thinks he’s going to get drafted. He’ll do the workouts, he’ll get some good indications of where he needs to improve (dramatically) and hopefully he comes back next year totally focused on being the kind of player that is a lottery pick. If he does that, then we’re going to be really good.
Buckles is going to be tough next year and I think we’re going to get good minutes out of Kuric and Marra, and for that senior leadership who would you rather have then Preston!?

I can’t wait for next season.

so he can’t even possibly flirt with a Senior Season. You can only put you name in twice so Samardo must go pro after his Junior season.

For Rick, it’s a bit of an ego thing. He knows (just like everyone else) that SS isn’t ready and he made sure to point it all out to the media as well. I think this offended SS’s family and they want to make sure that SS goes after next season.

Lastly all this talk about how crappy of a big man coach Rick is…(as Ocho would say) child please. Samuels wouldn’t have went pro after his freshman or soph. years no matter what school he attended. (or TJ or DC for that matter) The guy hasn’t listened to what aspects of his game he needs to work on from CRP. I’ll guarentee the NBA scouts will tell Samuels the same things Pitino has already pointed out and hopefully that’ll encourage him to really work at his rebounding, face the basket and mid-range game.

Maybe I’ve just been drinking the Kool-Aid for too long, but maybe this is the best thing that could happen for us.

Point #1: Samardo will be shown that he’s not ready for the NBA (nor will he ever be at the rate he’s progressing) and will hopefully have a renewed vigour to work on the weaker points of his game. Maybe Samardo will realize that CRP isn’t full of crap when he tells Samuels to work on his rebounding, defense, and hustle.

Point #2: Chandler and Dieng will see that Samardo intends to enter the draft ASAP, therefore opening up what promises to be a considerable amount of playing time during the 2011-2012 season.

So not only might it help our immediate situation next year with Samardo being motivated to increase his draft stock, but it could also have a positive impact on recruiting.

I’ve been told Samardo does not like Coach Pitino at all and that had an effect on his decision.