There was a point when we might have watched a recruiting announcement, but after the Harrison Barnes Skypefest, we swore it off. Part way through that one, we were so sick of it we didn't care if he came to Duke or not, and when he Skyped his new coach, well, that was enough for us.
So we didn't watch Wednesday's orgy of excess, reading about it instead. Obviously we wish Shabazz Muhammad had picked Duke instead of UCLA, but them's the breaks. And it's not that big of a loss: he'll almost certainly be a one-year guy, and while a one-year guy can be a huge factor, it's still only for one year.
We're not knocking Austin Rivers, Kyrie Irving or Luol Deng when we say that, or this either, but four years of Jon Scheyer is arguably better.
And yet if another Irving showed up for a year, who wouldn't want that?
Still, though John Calipari has made mercenary hoops work at Kentucky, it doesn't work for everyone.
We'll be interested to see if Mark Cuban's idea of a three-year required wait pans out. He makes some good points:
"I just think there's a lot more kids that get ruined coming out early or going to school trying to be developed to come out early than actually make it. For every Kobe (Bryant) or (Kevin) Garnett or Carmelo (Anthony) or LeBron (James), there's 100 Lenny Cookes...Then you say, what about the kids that aren't college material or whatever? I think then we just put them in the D-League for three years and then they become draft-eligible with their class...They could go to Europe if they want, like Brandon Jennings. That'd be fine. There is nothing that I would like better than to throw our problems on FIBA. Then we'd get some of our money's worth with them.
"It's not even so much about lottery busts. It's about kids' lives that we're ruining. Even if you're a first-round pick and you have three years of guaranteed money -- or two years now of guaranteed money -- then what? Because if you're a bust and it turns out you just can't play in the NBA, your 'Rocks for Jocks' one year of schooling isn't going to get you real far...I just don't think it takes into consideration the kids enough."
*****
During the same bit of excess, Nerlin Noels committed to Kentucky, and while we lost patience with this whole business when Barnes made an ass of himself, we did think that carving the UK logo into his high rise flat top was a unique and clever touch.
- Prep star Shabazz Muhammad says he will attend UCLA
- Shabazz Muhammad says he will sign with UCLA
- Temporary fix or turning point, Shabazz Muhammad will restore enthusiasm at UCLA
- UCLA's top basketball recruits are a boon â and a burden
- Top recruit Muhammad chooses UCLA
- Nerlens Noel picks UK, says he wants 'repeat'
- Shot-blocker Nerlens Noel to fill Anthony Davis' role at Kentucky
- Big man Nerlens Noel chooses Kentucky