WSU in the NBA?

[AndShock]

Gal Mekel was very close to making an NBA roster this year. He might have been overhyped in regards to the college game, but it was not a gross overexaggeration that he was an NBA prospect.

[iSASO]

For the sake of education, which is my duty of service to this forum - Maurice Evans most recently played for the Washington Wizards. I don't think he is affiliated with a team yet this season. He has played in the NBA for 9 seasons.

Evans was a top 40 recruit nationally coming out of Wichita Collegiate HS, played for 2 years at WSU before getting crossways with Randy Smithson and transferring to Texas.

Having said that though, this thread's topic is spot on. WSU has marginal history, very few good players in the course of the past 105 years and will never amount to much.

In fact, I would bet that every school in the conference has had more 1st Team All-Americans than WSU. If any WSU fan dares dispute that, don't believe them. It's more of the typical WSU hype.

[C0|db|00ded]

I have to admit, I don't follow any MVC team very closely. I only have a cursory knowledge of each team's standout players. But when I think of WSU, every year we hear about how great WSU's players are and how good of recruits they've landed. I'm assuming it must be correct and the folks down in Wichita would never overhype their players (other than Gal Mekal of course). If they are indeed the most talented and athletic players in the Valley, when was the last time a WSU player made it to the NBA? Is it that the NBA types don't appreciate the talent Marshall and Turgeon bring to Wichita, or are they maybe bringing in really good athletes but only above-average basketball players? Also, it appears a WSU player has won the MVC POY award 1 time since the mid-80's. I assume that means the MVC media also don't appreciate just how good the WSU players are compared to the rest of the Valley?

Honest question --- Somebody please tell me why we should think WSU's players are so good? Is it just that college basketball is so low on talent this year?

I think our last NBA player would be Maurice Evans.

I don't think your inference that MVC teams having the most athleticism and talent have sent the most players to the NBA recently works. Case in point: BJ Korver. That kid is about as unathletic as it gets but can shoot the rock so he made the league.

Wichita State's average athleticism has been very high over the last 10 years and now, with HCGM holding the reigns, we are getting some really sensational (big) athletes. It's been nearly 30 years since the MVC (Wichita State) sent some NBA All-Stars to the league.

A couple of possible NBA players currently on our team:

1) Cleanthony Early -- this guy is a versatile athlete that has NBA written all over him. We will see how he develops, but he seems to have the size, skill, athleticism, and speed to make it to the next level.

2) Nick Wiggins -- His father played in the NBA, he younger brother (Andrew Wiggins) will be the #1 overall college recruit in 2013. He has the genetics and is an outstanding athlete. We will see how it develops.

3) Ehimen Orukpe -- God didn't make too many like this big fella. Too bad the stork dropped him off in Africa and not the United States. He grew up playing soccer instead of a sport he was built to play. Patrick O'Bryant (a top #10 NBA bust on many lists) was not a sensational athlete yet he goes #7 in the draft. Patrick had more skill than EO, but EO has MUCH more athletic gifts than POB and happens to be an A student in one of the most difficult undergraduate degrees you can obtain (mathematics -- his father was an engineer). So he's no dummy. If EO can average 10 ppg and around 8 rpg as well as keep playing his brand of hellacious defense, he will get some serious looks.. I promise you.

4) I would like to mention Carl Hall because he is just so damned good, but I don't know if he is a legit 6'8". A lot of college players "stretch" their dimensions. If he is a solid 6'8" he might get some looks.


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[C0|db|00ded]

I would just like to add that I absolutely love the direction this forum is headed. With relaxed policing will come loads more traffic and the owner of this site will surely benefit. Trying to take the trash talk out of a sports forum is like trying to take the killing out of war, it simply doesn't work.

Animosity and hatred for the opposition is what puts butts in seats. I like to think I have a small hand in helping BJ arena break it's attendance record every time Wichita State University visits their rented municipal center. In fact, the mayor of Bugaha should give me a key to the city and the Pope should send me a blessed handkerchief or something..

Keep up the good work mods!




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[valleychamp]

I think our last NBA player would be Maurice Evans.

uh, no.

[uniftw]

Why do I get the feeling that CUOldfan is a WSU fan pretending to be a CU fan.....

[CBB_Fan]

Last drafted player in equivalent to the first two rounds by each college (don't have statistics for last player to play in the NBA):

Bradley: Patrick O'Bryant (#9, 2006)
Creighton: Kyle Korver (#51, 2003)
Drake: Wayne Kreklow (#53, 1979)
Evansville: Scott Haffner (#45, 1989)
Illinois State: Rico Hill (#31, 1999)
Indiana State: Carl Nicks (#23, 1980)
MSU: Winston Garland (#40, 1987)
UNI: None
SIU: Chris Carr (#56, 1995)
Wichita State: Xavier McDaniel (#4, 1985), Aubrey Sherrod (#34, 1985)

Just so we have a reference point. None of the MVC schools has a great record of consistently producing NBA prospects.

[glm38]

Why do I get the feeling that CUOldfan is a WSU fan pretending to be a CU fan.....

That's really funny. It might also be true.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Last drafted player in equivalent to the first two rounds by each college (don't have statistics for last player to play in the NBA):

Just so there is no confusion -- Creighton currently has two players in the League: the aforementioned Kyle Korver and fellow Atlanta Hawk, Anthony Tolliver.

Within the last decade, Creighton had a third player in the league as well - Rodney Buford.

I'd like to think we have at least two more on our current roster...

[SHOXMVC]

Last drafted player in equivalent to the first two rounds by each college (don't have statistics for last player to play in the NBA):

Just so there is no confusion -- Creighton currently has two players in the League: the aforementioned Kyle Korver and fellow Atlanta Hawk, Anthony Tolliver.

Within the last decade, Creighton had a third player in the league as well - Rodney Buford.

I'd like to think we have at least two more on our current roster...

If you're talking about Itchy as one of the two...that is a mighty stretch.