Russ Smith, Gorgui Dieng, and Chane Behanan

[02Ram54]

I just disagree, and obviously Ville fans are hopeful he returns which gives them a top 5 team returning next year. Without him they will rely on a young backcourt, depending on how well Ware comes along, but still a strong team. Smith's return elevates them.

 

If Smith is to add bulk it will take away from his greatest strength, his quickness.

 

Hey, he may come back and Pitino can extoll the virtues of Smith's love for Louisville and that he wanted to return. Plus, I think that is what will exactly happen tomorrow if there is a press conference.

 

I see it as his best opportunity to earn a roster spot is this year, more so than next year.

I am hopeful that Smith does what is best for Smith, whatever that is.

 

I don't think he will have an easier time making a roster this year, for reasons that I've outlined in this thread.

 

Getting stronger in his lower body is not going to detract from his quickness. I mean, I just don't think Russ Smith has to worry that he's even close to getting musclebound.

[4chs]

I just disagree, and obviously Ville fans are hopeful he returns which gives them a top 5 team returning next year. Without him they will rely on a young backcourt, depending on how well Ware comes along, but still a strong team. Smith's return elevates them.

 

If Smith is to add bulk it will take away from his greatest strength, his quickness.

 

Hey, he may come back and Pitino can extoll the virtues of Smith's love for Louisville and that he wanted to return. Plus, I think that is what will exactly happen tomorrow if there is a press conference.

 

I see it as his best opportunity to earn a roster spot is this year, more so than next year.

 

 

I think that most everyone would agree with you on this.

[Cats3x]

Not a first round pick in either year. Couldn't fault him for making either decision.

[02Ram54]

I just disagree, and obviously Ville fans are hopeful he returns which gives them a top 5 team returning next year. Without him they will rely on a young backcourt, depending on how well Ware comes along, but still a strong team. Smith's return elevates them.

One last (very long) thought on this comment:

 

Don't tell anyone I said this--especially if Smith comes back and makes a leap similar to the leaps he made between his other two offseasons--but I think that Louisville will be better next year if Russ is a pro.

 

It will be a very, very different team without Siva and Dieng, on both ends of the court.

 

On offense, Siva and Dieng were the primary facilitators, and without them I don't think Louisville can afford for Russ to dominate the basketball, which he very well could. It doesn't take a Phil Jackson to see that it could be a problem with Behanan, Hancock, Harrell, Ware and Blackshear returning as well as Jones, Rozier and Gill coming in. Arguing against this point, if Russ is a preseason first or second team All-American and first team All-All American Conference, he might get star treatment from the refs, which could result in an absurd number of trips to the line and that would practically demand the ball be in his hands. Still probably bad for chemistry, though.

 

Defensively, the loss of Siva and Dieng is even greater because Louisville CANNOT press and gamble next year with the abandon they did this year.

 

(Which is really too bad, because the prospect of a shortened shot clock is very enticing. Denny Crum jokes that if they'd implemented the 3 pointer in '86 they could have mailed Louisville the trophy, and I feel the same way about a shorter shot clock and this team. This defense would have been staggering and Louisville's conditioning advantage would have been even greater at the faster pace. But I digress.)

 

I wonder if Russ can dial his energy on the defensive side down. I almost suspect that being allowed to go nuts on defense helped keep him under control on offense. Case in point, Louisville played a much more conservative defense in the title game.

 

Finally, if there were a player that Pitino would like to have back, it is Gorgui Dieng seven days a week and twice on Sunday, and Rick did everything but pack his bags. Some UK fans should consider this when they make threads on other boards about Pitino selfishly holding Smith back and sabotaging his pro career... but I doubt that they will.

[LRCW]

One only needs to look at the 1997 NCAA Championship and realize that selfish and Pitino don't go together in regard to looking out for his players.

[Jumper_Dad]

Russ Smith is returning to college, man their goes our Draft Board...said no NBA team ever!

[John Anthony]

Coming back to one of the best drafts ever, better hope there is a major Euro shortage in the draft next year.

[IKNOWNOTHING]

Good for Russ now he can tie Siva with 4 losses vs UK. Ha Ha

[Getslow]

Coming back to one of the best drafts ever, better hope there is a major Euro shortage in the draft next year.

 

I think he's getting word that he's at best a late first rounder but more likely second round even this year. So if you're getting ready to pack up and pursue a career in Europe anyway, then staying around to try and improve a few aspects of your game before trying to get on with a team isn't a bad idea if you don't need the money at this very moment.

[dolamite]

How about this....If there was every a shot he could sneak into the first round, it's this year. Is that better?

 

Agreed.

 

I'm not so sure anymore. Sure it's going to be loaded at the top, but you still need guys who are going to fill out all 60 picks or so. There have been so many guys leave and declare early for this years draft that there is still some room to sneak in the end of the first round next year for a lot of these guys. Everybody is going this year because they know next year is going to be loaded, but it's getting to the point where so many are going there is still going to be some room in the first round of next years draft as well.

[dolamite]

I'm not so sure anymore. Sure it's going to be loaded at the top, but you still need guys who are going to fill out all 60 picks or so. There have been so many guys leave and declare early for this years draft that there is still some room to sneak in the end of the first round next year for a lot of these guys. Everybody is going this year because they know next year is going to be loaded, but it's getting to the point where so many are going there is still going to be some room in the first round of next years draft as well.

 

 

 

To snowball off this some more.....

 

Chad Ford said that Marcus Smart, WCS, and Poythress were the only guys on his top 30 big board to come back to school. He said that is an unbelievable number and probably the last time we will see that many underclassmen stay in the draft as opposed to coming back to school. He said you usually have a dozen or so guys who come back, not the case this year. I think because so many people jumped the gun for this years draft theres still some room in next years outside of the lottery.