Wood to Michigan State. Official

[blackpantheruwm]

I heard that Wood is leaving the team after this season.  Is this true?

[agibson]

I've not hear anything on this recently.

Early in the season, maybe even pre-season, it came out that he wanted to.  I took it as something like, "One of my personal goals for the season is to distinguish myself so much that I can leave college early to go pro."  I hoped that he meant NBA, and not to Europe. 

And, while Brandon had a great season, and definitely expanded his game, I don't think he's any kind of a lottery pick.  So, I hope he'll decide that he's better served by developing in college for another season, and then exploring pro options after next year.

But, we'll see!  He's certainly on record talking about the possibility of leaving hearly.

[valpopal]

One reason for Brandon to consider staying through his senior season: With his great development as an all-around player this year, Brandon should get a lot more NBA attention next year, especially since Brandon was the only senior among the first team all-Horizon League selections, and he should be regarded as the favorite for preseason conference player of the year in the fall.

[wh]

One reason for Brandon to consider staying through his senior season: With his great development as an all-around player this year, Brandon should get a lot more NBA attention next year, especially since Brandon was the only senior among the first team all-Horizon League selections, and he should be regarded as the favorite for preseason conference player of the year in the fall.

These are my thoughts as well.  Very few players (almost none) who still have college eligibility and also have aspirations to play in the NBA ever choose Europe over staying in college.  IMO staying at Valpo for another year provides the best opportunity for showcasing his skills while continuing to develop his game.  As has been mentioned, Brandon will probably be the pre-season POY and if he picks up where he left off in the HL tournament, he will get a lot of positive pub and many looks by NBA scouts.  He will definitely be the go-to guy at Valpo - no questions asked.  Playing in Europe is a real crap shoot.  He may get on a team where he can showcase his skills; he may not.  Europe is not developmental - it's all about playing games and performing now with a short learning curve or you can find yourself at the end of the bench forgotten about.  It is a good "fall-back" option for those who don't make the NBA, but why roll the dice on it when you have less risky options?  I just hope he isn't listening to the multiple sleazy handlers out there who will gladly sell him a bill of goods about some "can't miss" situation in Europe.         

[mj]

I'm concerned about what happens if a team in Europe offers him something like $75K to sign with them. That's a lot of money for a kid his age to turn down. It's obviously better for him to wait but it's already known that he "wants to get paid". I guess the question is what amount gets him to leave Valpo. 

[78crusader]

I am not optimistic that he will stay at VU.  

I also think that leaving now would be a decision he would later regret.

Just a gut feeling, on both counts.

Hope I'm wrong as far as #1 is concerned. 

Paul

[KL31NY]

Brandon can definitely find some positives in either decision, but if he does go to Europe, I hope he'd find the right place to go. I can't cite specific examples, but I remember stories on ESPN within the past few years about younger players getting gypped when playing overseas... Living in bad areas, not getting their full salaries or not getting money on time, and being forced into tough situations.

I surely hope Brandon stays, and he would have a lot going for him if he did. Regardless, best of luck wherever he is next year!

[agibson]

You don't have to go to ESPN for the sob stories.  Haanpaa had a story about like this, no?

(And, hopefully when our players go to Europe, they learn to avoid even long-entrenched slurs like "gypped".  Treatment of Roma seems to be a pretty serious issue across Europe - certainly here in Switzerland and France.)

[vu72]

I certainly hope he comes back and believe he will.  Think Etwaun Moore.  Had some interest from the pros but was probably a second rounder last year, now almost certainly a first rounder with a guaranteed contract.

How about Norris Cole.  Stayed his senior year, was POY and now is projected in the draft while last year he wasn't.

Brandon is a bright kid and has wonderful parents so I'm sure they will all think it through carefully with the help of Bryce and others. Best od luck whatever the decision.  He has been a joy to watch play.

[milanmiracle]

Whenever this gets brought up, the first thing that pops into my head is George Hill. Many people were surprised when he left, but it worked out pretty well for him. No he wasn't a lottery pick, but he's playing on a contender, getting significant minutes, and when his contract is up...he's getting paid!

I think Brandon has all the skills to play in the NBA, and much of his success will depend on where he ends up.

[valpo84]

Brandon had a good season in developing his game for the NBA. He is not there yet. He improved his passing and his defense. He has not shown NBA range consistently yet in games. He showed some to the hoop moves but needs more. He is small for a 2 and not a true point. He is not overly fast. He does not leap out of the gym. He is a tweener. A bit like Ben Gordon, but Gordon was wider and stronger. Having discussed potential players in the past with NBA evaluators and scouts, the hardest thing is hearing you have deficiencies that need to be worked on to play in the Show. All of the above does not diminish in any respect that BWood is a great college player, but it is important to have an honest discussion about his skills set. Hence, the best option is not to hire an agent, go to the NBA predraft evaluations and hear what they have to say. They will pick out areas for improvement. Shelvin Mack did this last year as an example. This means he does have to declare (which will sound like he is leaving), but it also means he has to renounce that declaration by a certain date. The best thing to remember in this discussion is we are talking about his pro prospects, it has nothing to do with his college play.

[crusaderdad]

Brandon had a good season in developing his game for the NBA. He is not there yet. He improved his passing and his defense. He has not shown NBA range consistently yet in games. He showed some to the hoop moves but needs more. He is small for a 2 and not a true point. He is not overly fast. He does not leap out of the gym. He is a tweener. A bit like Ben Gordon, but Gordon was wider and stronger. Having discussed potential players in the past with NBA evaluators and scouts, the hardest thing is hearing you have deficiencies that need to be worked on to play in the Show. All of the above does not diminish in any respect that BWood is a great college player, but it is important to have an honest discussion about his skills set. Hence, the best option is not to hire an agent, go to the NBA predraft evaluations and hear what they have to say. They will pick out areas for improvement. Shelvin Mack did this last year as an example. This means he does have to declare (which will sound like he is leaving), but it also means he has to renounce that declaration by a certain date. The best thing to remember in this discussion is we are talking about his pro prospects, it has nothing to do with his college play.

[agibson]

Hence, the best option is not to hire an agent, go to the NBA predraft evaluations and hear what they have to say. They will pick out areas for improvement. Shelvin Mack did this last year as an example. This means he does have to declare (which will sound like he is leaving), but it also means he has to renounce that declaration by a certain date. The best thing to remember in this discussion is we are talking about his pro prospects, it has nothing to do with his college play.

This sounds reasonable to me.  I hope the "bright lights"  don't go to his head - and I trust that his parents, coaches, and others will keep him grounded   But it seems very reasonable to go through the "no strings attached" portions of the process, get some valuable feedback, etc.  The feedback on what he has to improve to make it in the NBA probably won't hurt his college game, either!  (Well, hopefully not!  Don't want to see anyone stepping back from the 3pt line just for practice.)

[agibson]

Lazerus got Wood on the record on this issue recently, in what's a very good pre-game piece at http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/4335268-556/crusaders-get-a-fresh-start.html

Wood — a first-team all-Horizon League guard and the presumptive preseason player of the year next season — is just a junior, but has openly talked about possibly pursuing a pro career a year early. He's set to graduate this May and hasn't made a decision on his future yet.

So this could be his last hurrah with the Crusaders, too.

"It could be, it could not be," he said. "It's just kind of a waiting game for now. Once we're officially done, I'll sit down and talk with the coaches. For now, we've still got a tournament to try to win, and that's all I'm focusing on.

[covufan]

I think some of the speculation stems from the fact that he is going to graduate this year.  If he is going to go pro overseas, he'll need to find the right fit to be successful, and to give himself a chance in the NBA. 

I hope that he declares without an agent, and gets some honest feedback from the NBA.  Knowing what he may need to work on and returning to VU can be a win-win situation for both Brandon and VU.  I wish him the best, and thank him for his two exciting years - and hope for a third!

[cmack]

Brandon Wood is a good player.  I would say maybe th 5th best in the last 15 years.  I know that others will flip out about this, but I really feel like I can name a handful of players who had a major impact everytime they stepped on the court.  Bryce Drew and Raitis Grafs without a doubt are at the top.  Viskovic, Oppland and Barton have to be mentioned as well.  But I digress, my point is that Brandon Wood is a good player but not in a million years is he NBA level.  He will have a great career in Europe and I wish him all the best.

[Valpo10]

Hmmmm...stupid if he did.

He's good, but not NBA good (right now).  He's most likely pre-season Horizon MVP if he stays.

[VU75]

If he wants to play in Europe he most likely will get the same offers this year as he will after another year at Valpo.  I would have no problem with him leaving. 

If he really thinks he can play in the NBA he should sit down with the coaching staff and see if they are willing to play him at the point next year.  Is that the best thing for Valpo?  It depends on when Boggs can play and if  it would hurt or help Harris, (think  Norris Cole), to spend a year as a two.  If he works on his  his ball handling I'm not convinced he wouldn't be the best point guard on the team with the possible exception of Tommy Kurth.

In the NBA a 6-3 shooting guard creates all kinds of match-up problems so Wood's best hope is as a back up point guard who can come off the bench and hit some shots a la C.J. Watson.

[vu72]

So has anybody thought about Brandon going the Sam Maniscalco route and leaving Valpo for greener pastures?  As I understand it Sam departed Bradley for his last year of eligibility, without having to sit out a year, because Bradley didn't offer the specific masters degree he sought.

So now he is at Illinois.  It could happen as Brandon is graduating in May and would need to enroll in graduate school--somewhere, to gain eligibility for his last year.

[milanmiracle]

Wow. That thought hadn't even entered my mind. My guess is that he's coming back, but that does open up a whole list of possibilities...

[covufan]

So has anybody thought about Brandon going the Sam Maniscalco route and leaving Valpo for greener pastures?  As I understand it Sam departed Bradley for his last year of eligibility, without having to sit out a year, because Bradley didn't offer the specific masters degree he sought.

So now he is at Illinois.  It could happen as Brandon is graduating in May and would need to enroll in graduate school--somewhere, to gain eligibility for his last year.

Interesting.  He does have options.  Is there a team out there - on the verge of being a top 25-35 team - that needs senior leadership and scoring from the guard position? 

[milanmiracle]

So has anybody thought about Brandon going the Sam Maniscalco route and leaving Valpo for greener pastures?  As I understand it Sam departed Bradley for his last year of eligibility, without having to sit out a year, because Bradley didn't offer the specific masters degree he sought.

So now he is at Illinois.  It could happen as Brandon is graduating in May and would need to enroll in graduate school--somewhere, to gain eligibility for his last year.

Interesting.  He does have options.  Is there a team out there - on the verge of being a top 25-35 team - that needs senior leadership and scoring from the guard position? 

There are very few teams in college basketball who couldn't use the services of Brandon Wood.

I highly doubt he's going anywhere (maybe the NBA), but IF he were to make it known he was looking, there would be a long list of suitors.

[crusaderdad]

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/4460302-556/lazerus-should-valpos-wood-stay-or-go.html

[covufan]

As said earlier, he has options.  If I were him, I'd enjoy my last undergraduate semester and graduation, then focus on all of the different options.  Any and all input from the VU coaches, NBA, family, etc. should be considered before making a final decision.  I would agree with Haanpaa that exposure here in the states is a little better.  I recall an article about a potential NBA'er that had previously played in Europe.  He took a pay cut to play in the NBA-D League (formerly CBA?), so that he would have the chance of getting a 10 day contract with an NBA team.   A season or two overseas with more than 30+ games, living the traveling life, might also be a good experience for jumping to the NBA.

[sectionee]

Brandon Wood is not an NBA player.  He is undersized at 6'2'' and really doesn't create his own shot, granted he doesn't need much room to throw up one of those 3 point shots.  I don't think he is near the level of someone like E'twaun Moore and I don't see E'twaun being drafted in the top 20 this year.  JMO