We've got about four days left before the deadline for
underclassmen to withdraw from the NBA Draft.
Here are the 10 key guys who are still in limbo and my gut as to what they will
end up doing:
Austin Daye, Gonzaga - Should return, but sources indicate his dad, former NBA
player Darren Daye, wants him to stay in.
Taj Gibson, USC - Virtually no shot at returning after Tim Floyd's resignation.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame - This one could go either way, but my educated
guess is he returns to become the school's all-time leading scorer.
Jrue Holiday, UCLA - History. He's staying in the draft.
Damion James, Texas - Just a hunch that he remain in the draft.
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech - This one could go either way. My guess is he remains
in the draft.
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky - He's looking, like all these kids, to get a first-round
guarantee. Those just don't happen at the tail end of the first round, so my
guess is he returns to school.
Tyler Smith, Tennessee - Hearing he's going to return to school.
Jeff Teague, Wake Forest - I'd be shocked if he goes back to Wake.
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland - He can command big money overseas and I think his
career in College Park is over.
HOLY
CROSS CANDIDATES
The name I continue to hear the strongest for the Holy Cross
opening is that of Notre Dame assistant Sean Kearney. ??
Kearney has been the associate head coach for Mike Brey for nearly a decade and
is one of the most likeable guys in the industry. ?The Pennsylvania native also
has a Holy Cross connection as his father spent his freshman year at Holy Cross
before enlisting in the Army. ?
The other name that should be under strong consideration is that of Pittsburgh
associate head coach Tom Herrion, the former College of Charleston head coach
who averaged 20 wins per season. ??
Herrion and his older brother, Bill, grew up in Oxford, Mass. - which is right
next to Holy Cross. ??
If Holy Cross athletic director Dick Regan has some fore-sight, one guy he'd
look at is Providence assistant Pat Skerry.
Skerry is one of the top recruiters around, attended Tufts University and is
from the area.
Another guy that is worth a look is Vermont coach Mike Lonergan, whose father
was a big-time pitcher at the school. Not sure if Lonergan would make the move,
though.
RANDOM NOTES: Various reports have Kentucky coach John Calipari cutting
Matt Pilgrim and Kevin Galloway loose. Pilgrim couldn't even start at Hampton
and was a baffling pickup by former coach Billy Gillispie and Galloway is
expendable with the addition of freshmen point guards John Wall and Eric Bledsoe.
... Louisiana Tech announced that both Magnum Rolle and Kyle Gibson have
withdrawn from the NBA Draft. ... Liberty coach Dale Layer has hired Brian Joyce
to round out his staff. ... San Diego's best player, guard Brandon Johnson, received an additional year from the NCAA after suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury on Dec. 6 last season.