AJ Abrams to test NBA draft waters
At least according to Fox Sports. Well, if there’s one thing we can gather from this stunning turn of events it’s that AJ doesn’t get TNT. My lord, he’s half a foot shorter than JJ Redick and not nearly the scorer. Every other sub-6′ guard in the NBA can handle and create. AJ couldn’t handle and create against Baylor. Will he be able to get his shot off consistently in the Association? It took staggered double and triple screens in college to get him looks. He won’t have that luxury professionally.
Defensively, he’d have to guard the ball which means he’d have to go to a team with a big lead guard that could handle athletic scoring guards on the defensive end. And even then, it doesn’t guarantee the opposing team won’t have a huge physical mismatch at the point. Either that or AJ’s team would have to zone. Because NBA teams love to do that. It’s madness.
I watched Earl Boykins dismantle a top 5 Duke team in the tourney. Nate Robinson led a team deep into the tourney by handling, scoring, and running the show. Jameer Nelson, rinse repeat. AJ? So you beat Daniel Gibson at Horse? Get over it. Seriously, this must be some sort of joke.
April 23, 2008 at 6:15 am
I bet his dad made him do it.
Pretty much every junior should, although I honestly don’t know why he bothered.
April 23, 2008 at 7:04 am
I don’t think he needs to test the waters to determine his stock. Never hearing his name mentioned in the same sentence with ‘NBA draft’ should have clued him in.
April 23, 2008 at 7:08 am
This isn’t just information gathering. He really does want to leave now.
April 23, 2008 at 7:31 am
If he leaves, he better learn to speak Spanish.
April 23, 2008 at 7:32 am
Wow. Just…wow.
April 23, 2008 at 7:44 am
He has a better chance of being drafted into the Argentine army
April 23, 2008 at 7:44 am
I would like to test the supermodel waters. Probably won’t hear my name linked to Gisele, or anyone else, though.
April 23, 2008 at 7:52 am
Meh.
Good move. No reason not to do it. Hell, if I were AJ’s dad, I would have made him do it just so he could have reality presented to him.
Plus it’s nice to go work out with NBA teams and possibly against other draft-eligible players. I mean, hell, you should have seen the guys at the free agent days that MLB teams had around the Austin area.
April 23, 2008 at 8:07 am
Hmmm. Gallinari or Gordon 2 or Abrams. Hmmm.
April 23, 2008 at 8:13 am
Maybe he thinks there are 4 rounds in the draft. I like the kid, but there is no reason to do this right now. Like HJ stated, Barnes can call around and get him the answer he needs. And it would be that he is not even a 2nd round draft pick right now.
April 23, 2008 at 8:32 am
AJ needs to take a look at every NBA roster and make a list of players he can guard. Then he needs to separate out the shooting guards from that list. Take that number and divide by zero and that’ll give him a good idea about his chances of playing in the NBA at this point. It’ll save him alot of time and embarassment. Sub-six foot players that can’t handle the rock don’t play in the Association. Period.
April 23, 2008 at 8:44 am
He’d be a killer in Greece though.
April 23, 2008 at 8:50 am
the problem is that most college athletes think they are the best. Aj probably thinks he could guard the two guards in the NBA
April 23, 2008 at 8:59 am
I think A.J. sees Daniel Gibson and thinks he can fall into the same situation. Of course he’s about five inches shorter, 40 lbs lighter, not nearly as athletic, and isn’t a great defender. However, they are both black, and can hit open jumpers.
April 23, 2008 at 10:00 am
@Trips: Ha! Joke’s on you. Anyone with a Texas education knows that dividing by zero has no arithmetic meaning (plus, Wikipedia tells you that too). It could even be possible that I have an infinity chance of playing the NBA. Go math!
April 23, 2008 at 10:05 am
Then multiply it by zero, Frodo.
April 23, 2008 at 10:13 am
Chip Brown of the Dallas Morning News got some quotes from Abram’s dad.
April 23, 2008 at 10:16 am
He would garner much more attention from scouts if he could bring the ball up court without being forced to pick up his dribble 40 feet from the basket.
April 23, 2008 at 10:22 am
The fact that he is the only sub 6′ guard in college that can’t create his own shot should tell him all he needs to know about making a living playing basketball
April 23, 2008 at 11:26 am
I’m obviously more of a Pippin than a Frodo.
April 23, 2008 at 12:27 pm
AJ, don’t you fret none. Some people had their doubts about me and my abilities. I just ignore them.
You know, you might just end up making more than me …
April 23, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Take GD with you. Forget it, he doesn’t understand the word “opportunities” beyond Texas.
April 24, 2008 at 5:52 am
Article by Mark Rosner in this morning’s Statesman.
But one scout from an NBA Eastern Conference team who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “A.J.’s not a point guard. He’s a shooting guard.”
Said a scout for a Western Conference team, “I don’t know what he’s thinking. He’s not on our board. I think it’s ridiculous.”
Even so, the Eastern Conference scout said, “I don’t think he’s that crazy. He could say, ‘I’ll be 50th this year or next year, so what’s the difference?’ ”
Andy Abrams said one reason for A.J. to submit his name to the NBA is to become better known around the league.
The elder Abrams believes his son did not receive proper credit for his accomplishments, particularly from the national media.
“This is his daddy saying this, not him, but nationally it was ‘D.J. Augustin and the Texas Longhorns,’ ” Andy Abrams said.
I think we know whose decision this was.
April 24, 2008 at 6:25 am
Barnes is not the coach to extort to get a position on the team. If he wants to get to play as a SR without earning it, then…nevermind.
April 24, 2008 at 7:05 am
“nationally it was ‘D.J. Augustin and the Texas Longhorns”
Yeah, the 1st team all-american. That’s normally the way it works.
May 1, 2008 at 10:46 am
I think AJ’s dad is making a big mistake for him. First and foremost AJ is NOT a PG. His handling skills are average and in the league you need more then average handling skills to be a point guard. Secondly, his defense was the worst on the whole Texas roster. To be so small he is not quick enough to stay with the defenders in the next level. He needs to sit his dad down and tell him he wants to return to Texas next year because this is all a big joke.
This is his daddy saying this, not him, but nationally it was ‘D.J. Augustin and the Texas Longhorns,’ ” Andy Abrams said.
I mean DJ was only the leading scorer and the leading assist man.
AJ is never going to get anywhere with his dad wanting AJ to have the spotlight he has to earn it.
Freshman Year: LaMarcus Aldridge and Daniel Gipson
Sophmore Year: Kevin Durant
Junior Year: D.J. Augustin
Senior Year: Now its AJ’s time to shine.
May 1, 2008 at 10:58 am
I understand that Dad *wants* it for his son. I’d be shocked if he didn’t.
If next year’s team is going to be successful, by and large I do not think it will be because AJ is dominating the ball.