Official Player Declarations Thread
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Officially Leaving:
- Vick (no more eligibility)
- Moore (transferring)
- KJ Lawson (transferring)
- D. Lawson (NBA)
- Grimes (transferring)
Returning Scholarship Players:
- Dotson
- Agbaji
- Garrett
- McCormack
- Azubuike
- Lightfoot
- De Sousa
- Open
- Open
- Open
- Open
- Open
- Open
Incoming Recruits/Transfers Committed:
- McBride
- Braun
- Enaruna
- Moss
- Wilson
- Harris
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I hope we don’t have to add the worst starter in the entire Big 12 conference to the leaving list.
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Azubuike - - - - Gone : just don’t see coming back improves his draft status , said before - -say again - don’t even see much of a chance in NBA - -he is the old NBA big - - more chance over sea’s
D Lawson- - -Gone : - - probably low 2nd round/D-League - -again better chance over sea’s
KJ Lawson- - -Gone: - - -Brother gone , - -limited minutes here - - - will be a grad transfer looking for more playing time in his final year of eligibility.
De Sousa- - - -Gone - -NCAA has screwed him - - may wait to see about appeal, - yet that ruling isn’t gonna change - penalty will remain - - -more likely then not puts his name in draft
Moore- - - Gone : - - -Transfer - -no future here period
Grimes - - -? : - -50/50 chance - -he for sure needs to come back for another year , BUT what I hear that people in his camp - -Mom/Dad - just an of year , and NBA still likes him drafting on potential - -size.
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@jayballer73 I’d have to agree with your projections there. Heard from Petro that Matt Galloway projects that Grimes will leave. Our luck might be that the only one you’re wrong on is Charlie (less is) Moore.
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Jarret Sutton was on the radio today and he is a NBA scout for the Clippers ( I believe) and he said that the only one that SHOULD leave is Dedric. He doesn’t think Doke and Q will get great feedback from the combine if they get a invite.
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HighEliteMajor said:
@jayballer73 I’d have to agree with your projections there. Heard from Petro that Matt Galloway projects that Grimes will leave. Our luck might be that the only one you’re wrong on is Charlie (less is) Moore.
If these projections play out , then Coach and staff has got work to do - -thots of Scholi’s need filled
I think IF ALL of these did happen - which is a pretty decent chance of happening then that would mean we would have still 4 more open even with the 2 that we have committed.
Then the prefect storm to come from that would be for Hurt - - -Precious - - - And the kid I can’t remember his name begins with an E I believe - and then Stanley -that would be a really good late signing.
However again I think Hurt’s ship has sailed - - I have heard NOTHING on Stanley - -I thought he was suppose to announce pretty soon - but probably stay out west. - -So that leaves Precious and the other - -got work to do for sure. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Woodrow said:
Jarret Sutton was on the radio today and he is a NBA scout for the Clippers ( I believe) and he said that the only one that SHOULD leave is Dedric. He doesn’t think Doke and Q will get great feedback from the combine if they get a invite.
Now I could be very wrong on this BUT where was it that I heard or read where Doke might not even be ready for the NBA Combine? - -that he would miss out on that? - - maybe even someone had posted on here sometime back - I know I’ve seen info about that somewhere. - -Just can’t remember where. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Here’s my thoughts on who goes, who stays.
Stays…
Starters:
Dotson
Agbaji
McCormack
Rotation:
Garrett
Lightfoot
Pending:
DeSousa
Gone:
Dedric- Dad was shopping for agents already. Go make some money overseas.
KJ- getting married in the summer. Likely can grad transfer if he has his academics in order. Finds a bigger role somewhere else, closer to home maybe.
Grimes- My suspicion that his family had made arrangement’s for his pro career under the premise he was a Top 10 pick pre-season has only gotten stronger. Does anyone really feel like Q plans to stick around? I just don’t get the vibe with him. Wish I was wrong here. Wish I felt differently about what he may do. He’s bombed his draft stock, his tape will look even worse. Will he get a combine invite on name and previous reputation? I can’t imagine he’ll test well compared to others. What position is he going to play. He didn’t give scouts a good feel for what he could do. A million good reasons to return. But its his life. He’ll do what he thinks is best
Doke- Coach all but said he didn’t expect him back. This could be one that takes a while to sort our since he’s still in the beginning of rehab and could stick around to field offers from abroad. I’d welcome him back if he did return. Hopefully he can get and stay healthy whatever he decides to do.
No Idea but don’t come back:
Charlie Moore- What else can we say, he’s not a Power 5 or Kansas caliber player. He seems like a good kid but I hope he finds a more appropriate level for his talents.
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@BeddieKU23 Haha, I love that “no idea but don’t come back”.
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@BeddieKU23 Moore will be back for one more year. He should graduate after next season so I’d bet Moore is back next year and then grad transfers next offseason.
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@BeddieKU23 Charlie Moore was a Kansas caliber player this year…
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K.J. ? Really ? Why would he leave a top program? ? Makes no sense at all to me… he will get playing time here. He got better over the year, and there are many many positives for sticking with a top program.
Grimes leaving would be a flat out joke. My god. For what? d-league money and anonymity…? He is nowhere NEAR pro level. Where is Newman now ? D-league right? Newman was better than Grimes. If he leaves, then my advice to the coaching staff- avoid guys like him like the plague. Get guys who want to play for Kansas and to learn the game under self, not guys who think it’s an ok stop before they “ supposedly”go to the pros.
And why wouldn’t Doke want one more year under self, under the bright spotlight of a blue-blood college program… overseas can wait one more year for a 20 year old.
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Self, will he stay or will he go?
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@Bosthawk KJ probably doesn’t start next year and if he transfers to a mid major program, he can start for 2 years and give himself a better shot at a pro future than coming off the bench for the next 2 seasons at KU.
Q absolutely should stay, but Josh Selby should have as well. 19 year olds don’t always make rational decisions. He may be so hellbent on being OAD that he’ll do it even of it would benefit him much more to stay another year and build off of his last few games where he looked much better and consistent.
Doke needs to go because the kid has been injured in all 3 seasons so far. When durability is an issue, he needs to make money while he can because another injury next season may derail any pro future Doke has whether it’s stateside or overseas.
Dedric is in a weird place because his draft stock likely doesn’t change whether he stays or goes. He’s likely a borderline 2nd round/undrafted type player. That’ll still be his draft position next season as well.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 can he sit another year? One Med red and another transfer year? Is that right? If he doesn’t graduate!
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@Crimsonorblue22 If KJ is a grad transfer, he wouldn’t have to sit out and could play immediately. If he did have to sit out another year, he would lose that season of eligibility and he would only have one season to play wherever he transferred to in D1.
KJ’s transfer status largely depends on if he is graduating in May or not.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 yeah, that’s what I thought. I don’t recall if we’ve heard he’s graduating.
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K.J. is not nba material… more playing time may or may not help his overseas pro career. Kansas has so many positives for him. The coaching, the top tier program, more time with Hudy… or yes he could play more somewhere else, certainly not a blues blood school, but somewhere where his style and size are needed. You know, committing to relentless D and learning team ball, challenging himself would get him playing time. Marcus garret gets a lot of minutes in those qualities alone, why not K.J.?
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@nuleafjhawk that’s the sad part, he really wasn’t tho.
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@BeddieKU23 I dont care if Grimes leaves. Overrated. Total ambivalence toward him. Fill the slot with another Och that will stay and we will shower with love and roses in 4 years. I am sick of the prima donna OADs.
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Grimes Freshman year almost mirrors Wayne Selden’s to a T. Wayne was also a Top 15 recruit and stuck around 3 years.
I can understand your frustration towards Grimes. I can’t say he’s done anything “pre-madonna” though. You wouldn’t want a 2nd year to see what the staff could do with him?
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It would probably help if the staff made him a full time undersized 4 man. He’s too slow to guard the perimeter. He can rebound and score inside and his outside shot was all sorts of inconsistent. Wouldn’t be a bad back up to say Matthew Hurt…
The reason I think he looks elsewhere is simple most brothers that go to the same schools leave together. You see it everywhere across the nation.
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Bosthawk said:
K.J. ? Really ? Why would he leave a top program? ? Makes no sense at all to me… he will get playing time here. He got better over the year, and there are many many positives for sticking with a top program.
Grimes leaving would be a flat out joke. My god. For what? d-league money and anonymity…? He is nowhere NEAR pro level. Where is Newman now ? D-league right? Newman was better than Grimes. If he leaves, then my advice to the coaching staff- avoid guys like him like the plague. Get guys who want to play for Kansas and to learn the game under self, not guys who think it’s an ok stop before they “ supposedly”go to the pros.
And why wouldn’t Doke want one more year under self, under the bright spotlight of a blue-blood college program… overseas can wait one more year for a 20 year old.
The unfortunate reality is Kansas is just a hub for these guys professional careers. When you put so many guys into the NBA or into professional careers overseas, logic really doesn’t apply when it comes to guys staying or leaving. There are more options becoming available every year and players have more leverage then they have ever had. 5 years ago most of these guys would likely have stayed and it wouldn’t really be a question. Now every player down to the ball boy needs to be asked whether they are returning or not. For better or worse this is where we are now
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Every year this happens with fans. There are so many other circumstances that play into whether a kid goes pro / transfers or not. It is NOT all about the NBA for some of these guys. Sure they would all love to play there, but there are so many other avenues to collect generous pay checks and play the game of basketball.
If someone offered you half a million dollars to play basketball in Australia or Europe are you going to turn that down? In regards to Doke it has been said he will have a robust market overseas and make at least that.
I’m guilty of it as well , but fans have to take the fandom glasses off and think about this rationally. Sure there are going to be awful decisions as there is every year across college basketball, but that’s life. If a kid wants to move on and thinks that is best for him and his family then best wishes to them. Let’s get someone in here that wants to be here and will buy into the team 100%. Having another Vick situation is not healthy for the program.
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@wissox asks the tough question…
I believe he stays and sees the investigation/repurcussions thru
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@wissox Self’s statements were reassuring from his end, just read at face value. We’ve heard many times that in other instances, when someone says “I’m not leaving”, they leave; or the dreaded vote of confidence by an AD or GM, that ends in a firing. But who knows. Self’s statement could be read many ways, and one way is a precursor to issues with the university. But that is just one of many ways to read it, and a negative way. A concern is also from the university end, what is known behind closed doors, what has not become public, what is their intentions, etc. Just haven’t heard. Too much uncertainty right now to even know.
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@Fightsongwriter I am DOA (done and over) the OAD’s as well. It might be different if we had one that actually made our team better instead of making it worse. The only one I can think of in recent years that even came close was Josh Jackson, but I’m still not sold.
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This was my post way back in 2014 –
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Bosthawk said:
K.J. is not nba material… more playing time may or may not help his overseas pro career. Kansas has so many positives for him. The coaching, the top tier program, more time with Hudy… or yes he could play more somewhere else, certainly not a blues blood school, but somewhere where his style and size are needed. You know, committing to relentless D and learning team ball, challenging himself would get him playing time. Marcus garret gets a lot of minutes in those qualities alone, why not K.J.?
bottom line plain and simple - - KJ isn’t coming back. - -His minutes will not be increased. - He will never be the defender that Marcus is - - -and chances are with what w got coming back - who’s spot is he gonna take additional minutes from.- - -?
You put that with Dedric leaving - - and he is leaving make no doubt about that - -KJ very close to his brother - - - - -KJ gonna be a grad -he will transfer - -play his one year being a grad transfer - and getting more minutes - -won’t be at a blue blood school - he will transfer to another school where they can really put his minutes to use - -he not coming back here with limited minutes again when he can go else where. - There is many of school he can transfer to where they will play him with his limited Defense or not - they will still play him -He is not coming back. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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K.J. needs a degree. If he has that there isn’t much left for him in NCAA basketball other than the fun of playing at the highest level he ever will.
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@HighEliteMajor That was a very good post back in 2014. I didn’t reply directly to you, but this was my response to that post back then:
nuleafjhawk Apr 15, 2014, 6:13 AM I think there’s room for everyone.
We can have the solid four year guys that want to get an education and play a high level of Division I college basketball.
Then we can have a whole separate league of OAD’s. They could all be on travelling teams sponsored by Barnum and Bailey.
" What in the wide, wide world of sports is a goin on here ? "
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I think a lot of KJ’s decision side on if Self wants him back at this point. KJ will be able to graduate this semester according to Matt Tate and he is getting married this summer. So he may just decide to be done with basketball or if Chuck and Grimes move on, and Self doesn’t land a couple other guys. I could see a scenario that he says but you never know what he has planned going forward. KJ isn’t a great player but I always thought he played hard and I do appreciate that from him.
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This is becoming a joke nowadays. Only Dotson and Agbaji have NBA POTENTIAL… Dedric is a REALLY low level athlete and has ZERO shot at the NBA. His skill wont carry him beyond that shortcoming.
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@BigBad It is not all about the NBA. You can earn money other places. Why is this so hard to grasp.
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@Woodrow I’m well aware. Besides the NBA, this level of basketball is the highest where there are actual crowds and its still fun. Put a lie detector test on everyone who left early and I’d bet 95% wish they hadn’t.
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Woodrow said:
If someone offered you half a million dollars to play basketball in Australia or Europe are you going to turn that down? In regards to Doke it has been said he will have a robust market overseas and make at least that.
NONE of these guys are making that. It took YEARS for Langford to make that and he was a league MVP.
I know SEVERAL european pros from where I live and they never made that. A guy who went to my High School ended up the all time leading scorer for a D-1 program. He played in Europe for 8 years. He is a real estate agent now. They dont make set for life money.
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@BigBad Langford has made well over a million dollars a year for quite sometime now.
For a couple years he was the highest paid player in Europe.
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I honestly dont give a rats ass about these guys. The sad fact is a lot of them “go to college” and can barely speak passable English. Then they leave early out of pressure of supporting their entire family. I’m sick of the low expectations put on the young kids today. Forget bettering yourself as a human being, just go chase money with no other skills but low level pro basketball ones.
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@BigBad I think Dedric could make a good living over seas for sure, but I agree it will be tough for him to make in the NBA. I hope for him that he is drafted and at least gets a chance to live his dream. I’m not sure if Grimes has the athletic ability to play in the NBA, he has to fine his stroke from distance to get much of a look IMO. Dotson will get drafted in a few years, he’s ahead of when Jacque, Frank and Aaron Miles were during their freshman seasons IMO. Which says a lot about what he could be in the near future. Ochai is prob a lottery a pick in a couple of years IMO. He did pretty darn good for a recruit ranked in the 130s and being thrown into the mix mid season. I’d bet he leads us in 3 point percentage and scoring next season. We’ve heard both Self and Fran talk about how he is the most athletic guy on the team, give the fella a year or two and he’ll be damn good. Doke isn’t on any draft boards that I’ve seen and really doesn’t fit the mold of a Center in the league nowadays but he also could make a good living over seas and I wouldn’t blame him if he left to try it out. He’s been injured for over half of his time in a Kansas uniform and it tough for me to believe he could be healthy for a full season here. SDS is probably leaves if his suspension isn’t lessened, I could see him trying to wait it out if they say he can next season or the second semester next year. I do agree with your assessment of guys wishing they would’ve stayed. Think of how much better we could’ve been this season if we had Newman’s shooting and he’s just bouncing around the G league now. I get guys like Selby leaving because their family was poor and needed whatever he could get but the guys like Henry, Newman, Wright and a few probably wish’d they’d stayed at this point. Sometimes I wish these kids would look at some of guys before them’s mistakes. I have no problem with a guy that is projected in round 1 going, they are gaunteed a contract for 3 years while undrafted and second rounders are not.
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@Woodrow International leagues cap how many Americans are allowed per team and the average salary of an American player is typically between $75,000-100,000 per year. Only the elite of the elite Euro players make a million or more per year.
Doke would probably start around $100,000 in Europe.
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BigBad said:
I honestly dont give a rats ass about these guys. The sad fact is a lot of them “go to college” and can barely speak passable English. Then they leave early out of pressure of supporting their entire family. I’m sick of the low expectations put on the young kids today. Forget bettering yourself as a human being, just go chase money with no other skills but low level pro basketball ones.
idk about you man but if my family was borderline homeless and I had an opportunity to really help them out ASAP I’d do it in a heartbeat. Thankfully I’ve never had to make that choice and getting an education has been a tremendous privilege. Some aren’t so lucky.
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We have several guys that have come back to finish their degrees! Door is always open.
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@FarmerJayhawk PHOF!! I’ve seen first hand what an athletic scholarship can lead to kids who’d have no other hope to get into college. I’ve also seen with kids like Ben Mclemore what can happen for a kid who grew up as poor as anyone can imagine who does earn a pro contract. Even the pro minimum for several years will get that kid and his family out deep financial problems.
As much as I hate it when kids like Josh Jackson or Kelly Oubre leave early, I don’t blame them. I also love it when kids like Frank Kaminsky say I’m coming back for my senior year because another year in college is better than playing in half full NBA gyms.
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Crimsonorblue22 said:
We have several guys that have come back to finish their degrees! Door is always open.
This is a great point. KU and most power conference programs honor the kid’s scholarship if he ever wants to come back and finish. Ben finished his eventually if memory serves. I know for sure he was working on it. But he was a one and done so must be a terrible thing for the program
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FarmerJayhawk said:
BigBad said:
I honestly dont give a rats ass about these guys. The sad fact is a lot of them “go to college” and can barely speak passable English. Then they leave early out of pressure of supporting their entire family. I’m sick of the low expectations put on the young kids today. Forget bettering yourself as a human being, just go chase money with no other skills but low level pro basketball ones.
idk about you man but if my family was borderline homeless and I had an opportunity to really help them out ASAP I’d do it in a heartbeat. Thankfully I’ve never had to make that choice and getting an education has been a tremendous privilege. Some aren’t so lucky.
Agree with what you have to say. - -Kinda of funny how people need money to survive - -huh? - like you say if these kids family - - Mother/farther - -siblings struggle - -you dam straight I’m going to make that money to help my family. -People can call me what they want - -my family is my Everything - -period. - -" FOE " - -family over everything
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Well this thread got cray.
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BShark said:
Well this thread got cray.
Apparently kids making money when they can instead of being unpaid labor for their favorite basketball team is a controversial topic!
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@FarmerJayhawk I know there are more, but I remember Cole did too.
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@FarmerJayhawk Perpetuating the myth of unpaid labor are we?
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HighEliteMajor said:
@FarmerJayhawk Perpetuating the myth of unpaid labor are we?
I mean… if a job where you’re forbidden from making income is by definition unpaid… and scholarships aren’t income. I don’t pay taxes on it, it doesn’t go on my W2, and it doesn’t affect my income tax bill. At all. Neither does their minuscule stipend. If you really want to go nuts with it, you can say they’re compensated in kind, which is fair. But they’re certainly unpaid using the Haig-Simmons (economic) definition of income, consumption plus change in net worth. Student-athletes can’t accept any income that would increase their ability to consume, let alone increase wealth.
I’m an economist by trade and it sure as hell strikes me as unpaid since being a college athlete does not increase your ability to consume. But there is some non-monetary compensation, which fine I guess? If you really want to go nuts, slaves were given non-monetary compensation for their labor and nobody says they were paid.
tl;dr: compensation /=/ income. Athletes aren’t getting any monetary benefit from playing and can’t accept any monetary benefit from playing. Unless you have a different definition?
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@FarmerJayhawk So you actually invoked the word “slaves”? Think this through, my friend. The truth is out there. It all begins with the word “choice.”
