C Byron 'B.J.' Mullens (Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo - Japan)

[OHSportsFan]

That 8 million dollar loss is just a guess, at best.

There's no telling what his net gain/loss will be at this point. We can only know that in hindsight. He could start out slow, develop under a rookie contract and blow up in the league- in time to sign a second contract. He could improve to a top 10 pick while in college and then be a bust as a pro.*

Fact is, he goes to the league and he'll make at least a couple million his first couple seasons in a structured contract, with team options for a 3rd and 4th year (making some more millions). If the team doesn't pick up the options, some other team will sign him. At worst, he'll last 4-5 years in the league (making over a million per), good enough to take care of himself and his family. At worst.

*Kwame Brown still makes $4 million (!!!)
-3.6 pts, 4.1 rebs this season

NBA 2009-10 rookie contracts
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9301

Pretty sure he's gone. Good luck to him. Take the money, enjoy life, help out your family.

 

[scott91575]

Everybody thinks he is going to make some big improvement next year. What if he doesn't or he gets hurt. Then he loses millions. Bird in the hand. BJ should go pro. He will be a first round pick and get a guaranteed 3 year contract for millions. If I were in his position I would be sitting down with an agent right now.

 

[Oh8ch]

its not like you are asking them to do anything they haven't been doing for the past 18 years.

Actually you are. For the first time in his life he has an alternative and you are asking him to forgo that.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I must say, I think the chances of a basketball player getting a career ending injury is quite remote. Actually, beyond remote. It's remote in football... it's some level of even more so for a basketball player.

As for BJ going pro - if he thinks he's ready... if he wants to help his family... those are fine "reasons" but if you ask me, the "don't want to get injured" thing is a BS add-on and hardly a reason to the extent that it's not a significant risk. FWIW - I can't wait til the 2 year rule. BJ is not ready for pro basketball, in my estimation. But, my vote - of course - counts for nothing.

 

[Buckeye86]

I must say, I think the chances of a basketball player getting a career ending injury is quite remote. Actually, beyond remote. It's remote in football... it's some level of even more so for a basketball player.

look at Kenyon Martin and Willis McGahee, both suffered serious injuries at the very end of their college careers, Martin was selected #1 overall and McGahee was selected #23 overall in their respective drafts

I agree with you, current medical treatment makes career ending injuries exceedingly rare and even if you have the incredible misfortune of a serious injury right before your draft, teams will still take you

the NBA drafts on potential as it is, so what's the difference between the potential of a kid that needs to develop for a couple of years or a kid that needs to recover from an injury for a year

that being said, good luck to Mullens in the NBA

 

[jimotis4heisman]

I must say, I think the chances of a basketball player getting a career ending injury is quite remote. Actually, beyond remote. It's remote in football... it's some level of even more so for a basketball player.

As for BJ going pro - if he thinks he's ready... if he wants to help his family... those are fine "reasons" but if you ask me, the "don't want to get injured" thing is a BS add-on and hardly a reason to the extent that it's not a significant risk. FWIW - I can't wait til the 2 year rule. BJ is not ready for pro basketball, in my estimation. But, my vote - of course - counts for nothing.

you and i are old enough to both remember when going pro was something of a rarity. the level of nba and college play was much better. the kids were developed better and as a result the ncaa and nba had a better product.

 

[MaxBuck]

I think if the NBA were to implement a 3-year rule similar to the NFL's. both NBA and collegiate basketball would benefit. NBA has lost a lot of fans who root for players who hailed from their favorite colleges. It's a lot harder to root for one-and-dones (though Conley and Oden are a lot easier than most such guys to root for).

Downside is that athletes would likely earn less total dollars, and this sort of rule is a restraint of trade that free marketers should abhor.

Tough question. WRT to BJ in 2009, he is, and should be, gone to the NBA. It seems silly for people who haven't had to deal with the wrenching poverty he comes from to suggest he defer his payday.

 

[JCOSU86]

That 8 million dollar loss is just a guess, at best.

There's no telling what his net gain/loss will be at this point. We can only know that in hindsight. He could start out slow, develop under a rookie contract and blow up in the league- in time to sign a second contract. He could improve to a top 10 pick while in college and then be a bust as a pro.*

Fact is, he goes to the league and he'll make at least a couple million his first couple seasons in a structured contract, with team options for a 3rd and 4th year (making some more millions). If the team doesn't pick up the options, some other team will sign him. At worst, he'll last 4-5 years in the league (making over a million per), good enough to take care of himself and his family. At worst.

*Kwame Brown still makes $4 million (!!!)
-3.6 pts, 4.1 rebs this season

NBA 2009-10 rookie contracts
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9301

Pretty sure he's gone. Good luck to him. Take the money, enjoy life, help out your family.

I guess if faced with this same choice I would do the same. But I can't help but feel it is a mistake personal-growth-wise. I mean, if you disappear against freaking Siena, how can you expect to be great against the Lakers, Celtics or Cavs? Good luck to him whatever he choses.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

I guess if faced with this same choice I would do the same. But I can't help but feel it is a mistake personal-growth-wise. I mean, if you disappear against freaking Siena, how can you expect to be great against the Lakers, Celtics or Cavs? Good luck to him whatever he choses.

he played 22 mins and was 4-5 for 10 pts and 3rbs. granted the three games previous to that he hadnt cracked 15 minutes...

the inablity to get an entry pass, heck the inability to ge tthe offense into their set was embrassing. what needed to happen was get the ball up the floor, to the wing, into the post and back out. then go into the offense. it was equivalent of penn state in football. they dared pryor to beat them with the pass. he couldnt. those the offense stalled. ohio state was unable to enter the ball. coimbined the five position was 8-9 from the floor. thats tirght, 8 of 9 shots were made. 9 shots and 18 pts for dallas and bj.

granted when you have turnover and hill with 5 TOs each and toss in 4 more in simmons 10 minutes in the game, it is not suprising.

 

[JCOSU86]

Well at least Siena had a decent run after that and proved that they were a legitimate team and oh they lost their very next game nevermind

 

[bkochmc]

Well at least Siena had a decent run after that and proved that they were a legitimate team and oh they lost their very next game nevermind

They had the lead against Louisville with 7 minutes left in the game. Sure, they still lost the game but they hung around a lot longer than most people thought they would. I'd say they had a decent run.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

you and i are old enough to both remember when going pro was something of a rarity. the level of nba and college play was much better. the kids were developed better and as a result the ncaa and nba had a better product.

This was going to be my point as well...

It isn't so much faulting the kids that aren't ready, but it weakens both the college and NBA level of play...

To say that BJ Mullens would not be better off in terms of development of his game, to stay in college another year and then come out would be crazy...There is a legit chance that he could go lower than where KK when last year...He could possibly end up very late first round or slip to the second round...

I understand the money situation totally, and if that is what basketball means to him than great...he should follow his dream and meet his goal of providing for his family...

It also seems obvious that he is not enjoying himself here...he seems to pout when he comes out, doesn't play hard unless he is getting the ball all the time...and doesn't consitently work to get open in the post...

this is in no way going to be an addition by subtraction or anything like that, but I feel the same way I did with KK after he left, if their heart is not in it here, then don't hang around, because if so they will never reach their potential here, and might as well go to the NBA and maybe that will motivate them a little more...

What I would love to see are players like Mullens/KK/Cook/ whoever, is have that much talent, but the heart of a PJ Hill...The kid had 8 rebounds the other day for crying out loud...Mullens/Lauderdale had 7 combined...Yeah it is great that they were 8/9 from the field, but they are not making things happen in the paint, not getting easy put backs, not getting defensive rebounds, clearing space and starting the break...

 

[brodybuck21]

This was going to be my point as well...

It isn't so much faulting the kids that aren't ready, but it weakens both the college and NBA level of play...

To say that BJ Mullens would not be better off in terms of development of his game, to stay in college another year and then come out would be crazy...There is a legit chance that he could go lower than where KK when last year...He could possibly end up very late first round or slip to the second round...

I understand the money situation totally, and if that is what basketball means to him than great...he should follow his dream and meet his goal of providing for his family...

It also seems obvious that he is not enjoying himself here...he seems to pout when he comes out, doesn't play hard unless he is getting the ball all the time...and doesn't consitently work to get open in the post...

this is in no way going to be an addition by subtraction or anything like that, but I feel the same way I did with KK after he left, if their heart is not in it here, then don't hang around, because if so they will never reach their potential here, and might as well go to the NBA and maybe that will motivate them a little more...

What I would love to see are players like Mullens/KK/Cook/ whoever, is have that much talent, but the heart of a PJ Hill...The kid had 8 rebounds the other day for crying out loud...Mullens/Lauderdale had 7 combined...Yeah it is great that they were 8/9 from the field, but they are not making things happen in the paint, not getting easy put backs, not getting defensive rebounds, clearing space and starting the break...

could not have said it any better....gpa

 

[jimotis4heisman]

It also seems obvious that he is not enjoying himself here...he seems to pout when he comes out, doesn't play hard unless he is getting the ball all the time...and doesn't consitently work to get open in the post...

this is in no way going to be an addition by subtraction or anything like that, but I feel the same way I did with KK after he left, if their heart is not in it here, then don't hang around, because if so they will never reach their potential here, and might as well go to the NBA and maybe that will motivate them a little more...

What I would love to see are players like Mullens/KK/Cook/ whoever, is have that much talent, but the heart of a PJ Hill...The kid had 8 rebounds the other day for crying out loud...Mullens/Lauderdale had 7 combined...Yeah it is great that they were 8/9 from the field, but they are not making things happen in the paint, not getting easy put backs, not getting defensive rebounds, clearing space and starting the break...

once again hard to see sometimes but when you are being highly effective as both bigs were and you dont get the ball because youre teammates are ball hoggins and for all intent and purpose incapable of getting the ball up the floor and the offense set (with the exception of running what appeared to be a stall.) i can see why he was not effective.

pj plays hard sure. but half the time he is running around like a chicken with his head cut off. he turned the ball over 5 times. failed to get the offense set. failed to be able to get in position to run the offense-he was unable to handle the ball within 25 feet of the hoop so the offense could be run. he slammed the ball down, he didnt play well. not to fault of pj, he tries. dead fact he is not big ten starter material. great kid, sure. hard worker, sure. hes closer to rudy rudiger than he is a legit b10 player.

 

[exhawg]

I guess if faced with this same choice I would do the same. But I can't help but feel it is a mistake personal-growth-wise. I mean, if you disappear against freaking Siena, how can you expect to be great against the Lakers, Celtics or Cavs? Good luck to him whatever he choses.

If he goes now he has a better change of getting drafted by one of those teams since he will be at the bottom of the first round. Maybe he could hang out with DJ and JJ at the end of the Cavs bench for a couple years. At least if he got drafted by a bad team he would be more likely to play. Good luck kid, have fun in the D-league next year. IIRC even Conley regrets leaving early.