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SF LaQuinton Ross (Memphis Hustle - NBA G-League)

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Chad Ford
The key is the three for Ross"I can't explain it. I watched him up close in New York on Tuesday and he certainly didn't look fat or out of shape (ditto for Nik Stauskas, who I watched last Tuesday and who also had an unusually high body fat measurement). Ross doesn't look fat. His upper body is toned and he powered through an hour workout for me, despite going through a three-hour one in Cleveland on Monday (he worked out against C.J. Fair and Cleanthony Early in Cleveland, with a team source telling me he shot the ball the best of the group). In fact, of all the guys on the court, he looked the least visibly winded. And what he did do was shoot the heck out of the basketball. Ross was on fire in the workout, drilling NBA 3-pointer after NBA 3-pointer at just under an 80 percent clip in workouts. He also shot it very well at the combine, going 16-for-25 from NBA range there. While he's not a great athlete for his position (and apparently needs to lower the fat content in his diet), he has good size at 6-7.5 in shoes and a terrific wingspan of 7-1.25. His lack of explosiveness or quickness will affect him as a defender and limit his ability to create his own shot, but if he can just go out there and hit 3-pointers, he'll have a place in the league."
 
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Onebuckfan said:
La Q..the NBA is a different animal..82 games and 48 minutes..You either have to be massively talented or totaly committed to the game...Its up to you if you get the chance. I don't see it but I'm not a NBA gm.
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I don't get basketball players these days. When you are on the fringe of getting drafted, and have only a 'decent' shot at making it in the NBA, why do you leave early? I know they all think they can do it, but the fact is a lot of them that think they will, won't make it. Why not at least stick around and get a degree...have a backup plan. Otherwise you're a really good (but not good enough) hoops player, with 2-3 years of essentially worthless degree credits. At that point, what do you do for a living? There is Europe, but they don't pay that well, so what do you do at the end of your 10 year career there, it's not like you made millions like you would have in the NBA? Either way, best of luck to LaQ!
 
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TampaBuckeyes said:
I don't get basketball players these days. When you are on the fringe of getting drafted, and have only a 'decent' shot at making it in the NBA, why do you leave early? I know they all think they can do it, but the fact is a lot of them that think they will, won't make it. Why not at least stick around and get a degree...have a backup plan. Otherwise you're a really good (but not good enough) hoops player, with 2-3 years of essentially worthless degree credits. At that point, what do you do for a living? There is Europe, but they don't pay that well, so what do you do at the end of your 10 year career there, it's not like you made millions like you would have in the NBA? Either way, best of luck to LaQ!
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There were reports that Thomas, who left OSU early, made $250k his first year in Europe. I'd say that pays pretty well. I surely wasn't making that kind of money when I was 22 (and I had a college degree).
 
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On top of that, the European teams typically pay for housing and food, so one can bank the majority of the salary if smart and inclined to do so. I do agree a fringe player may as well take that extra year to gain experience and develop game, it improves fanbase perception if you end up in the sales world at the very least.
 
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TampaBuckeyes said:
I don't get basketball players these days. When you are on the fringe of getting drafted, and have only a 'decent' shot at making it in the NBA, why do you leave early? I know they all think they can do it, but the fact is a lot of them that think they will, won't make it. Why not at least stick around and get a degree...have a backup plan. Otherwise you're a really good (but not good enough) hoops player, with 2-3 years of essentially worthless degree credits. At that point, what do you do for a living? There is Europe, but they don't pay that well, so what do you do at the end of your 10 year career there, it's not like you made millions like you would have in the NBA? Either way, best of luck to LaQ!
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Europe pays well enough for a 21-22 year old to seriously consider it for a couple years.
 
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Everyone's also forgetting that that money is untaxed, and that players can always go back and finish up their degree. Don't you think both DeShaun and LaQuinton had about peaked talent wise? Why not go out and make a living to support their respective families? It makes sense and honestly it's annoying when people whine about players leaving when they won't get drafted.

Also, it appears that Q has worked out with at least 3 teams (Cleveland, Philly, and Chicago), so it's not like there's absolutely no interest in him. His combine physical numbers were poor, but all reviews I've read of his workouts are very positive.
 
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osubballinsider said:
Everyone's also forgetting that that money is untaxed, and that players can always go back and finish up their degree. Don't you think both DeShaun and LaQuinton had about peaked talent wise? Why not go out and make a living to support their respective families? It makes sense and honestly it's annoying when people whine about players leaving when they won't get drafted.

Also, it appears that Q has worked out with at least 3 teams (Cleveland, Philly, and Chicago), so it's not like there's absolutely no interest in him. His combine physical numbers were poor, but all reviews I've read of his workouts are very positive.
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Maybe Q wouldn't have improved much if he had stayed, but I think his skill level would have improved with another year. He was inconsistent shooting from distance this past season, has yet to become much of a passer, and would many times try to make plays that he couldn't resulting in turnovers on drives and blocked shots. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten better but with the right attitude and effort, I believe he would've been better. And I think his NBA stock could've been better as a result.

The argument about families could be applied to pretty much anybody. Why even go to college for a year when you can go straight to Europe and support your family? Everybody has a family, only difference is how you define it. If college basketball is as value-less as you seem to think, why go to college at all when you can go to Europe and improve there instead?
 
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osubballinsider said:
Everyone's also forgetting that that money is untaxed, and that players can always go back and finish up their degree. Don't you think both DeShaun and LaQuinton had about peaked talent wise? Why not go out and make a living to support their respective families? It makes sense and honestly it's annoying when people whine about players leaving when they won't get drafted.

Also, it appears that Q has worked out with at least 3 teams (Cleveland, Philly, and Chicago), so it's not like there's absolutely no interest in him. His combine physical numbers were poor, but all reviews I've read of his workouts are very positive.
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I've always wondered what fraction of players who leave without their degree and then don't make NFL or NBA level money actually take this take this option as finishing school is on their dime. The financial selling point of getting degree(s) is that it increases one's lifetime earning potential. Anyone who has had to pay for their schooling can appreciate this- becoming an MD would be an extreme example.
 
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DZ83CK said:
Maybe Q wouldn't have improved much if he had stayed, but I think his skill level would have improved with another year. He was inconsistent shooting from distance this past season, has yet to become much of a passer, and would many times try to make plays that he couldn't resulting in turnovers on drives and blocked shots. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten better but with the right attitude and effort, I believe he would've been better. And I think his NBA stock could've been better as a result.

The argument about families could be applied to pretty much anybody. Why even go to college for a year when you can go straight to Europe and support your family? Everybody has a family, only difference is how you define it. If college basketball is as value-less as you seem to think, why go to college at all when you can go to Europe and improve there instead?
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You're making my argument for me. The only improvements he can still make are ones that he couldn't make in 3 years in college. The only reason for staying would be just to get away from this loaded class. He should have left as a sophomore.

Again, he's pretty much maxed out what he was going to get from college. He's already gotten the exposure and his development has peaked (the latter is my opinion). There is no more value left in college for him and guys like him (Deshaun fits in this same category) make the right decision in going pro.

DiamondBuck said:
I've always wondered what fraction of players who leave without their degree and then don't make NFL or NBA level money actually take this take this option as finishing school is on their dime. The financial selling point of getting degree(s) is that it increases one's lifetime earning potential. Anyone who has had to pay for their schooling can appreciate this- becoming an MD would be an extreme example.
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Can't seem to find a link for it but I'm pretty sure (at least at OSU) players can come back and take as many classes as they want for the rest of their life for free.
 
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Maxed out what he's going to get from college? I must be the only one valuing a degree. You're right that he probably won't improve his game much more if at all. That degree provides a hell of a safety net in the event of not panning out or a major injury.

Kids may be able to take classes for free but those credits do expire. I think it is typical that you have to have completed your credits within something like 6 or 7 years of graduation date for a bachelors ie you can't apply credits from courses taken in 2008 for a 2015 graduation.
 
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osubballinsider said:
You're making my argument for me. The only improvements he can still make are ones that he couldn't make in 3 years in college. The only reason for staying would be just to get away from this loaded class. He should have left as a sophomore.

Again, he's pretty much maxed out what he was going to get from college. He's already gotten the exposure and his development has peaked (the latter is my opinion). There is no more value left in college for him and guys like him (Deshaun fits in this same category) make the right decision in going pro.
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No, I'm not making your argument. I said by your logic guys should go to Europe right out of high school, that by your reasoning there isn't much of anything they can gain in a year of college that they can't get overseas.

I don't like guys leaving college early to go to Europe. If what you really want to do is earn a quick buck and don't care about getting a degree, go ahead and do it out of high school instead of going to college and taking classes you don't have any interest in.

But Q lacked the polish to his game that Deshaun had, and had only one year while being a 10+ ppg scorer in college. He was new to the leading scorer role at this level and I think Q could've taken his game to a higher level with an extra year in college.
 
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This fairly old article that states that, depending on the University, tuition and other expenses incurred by a former athlete returning to school may be covered.

Much is made of the limits that are placed on the time and resources of college athletes while they are participating in their chosen sport at the university level. However, there are many programs that help pay for the costs of college athletes to return to school after their playing careers have concluded. Colleges even have incentives to help former athletes get their degrees under recently enacted rules by the National Collegiate Athletic Association that allow schools to count degrees by former athletes towards their graduation mandates...

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/Vie...essmich&jsid=0f42bb63543984a1e4e1e738a727e0d3
 
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