PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)

[Buckeyedynasty]

Originally Posted by bigballin2987

Who knows. Nothing we can do about it.

Very true. But we can support whatever they decide to do....er come back to school guys....I mean support whatever they decide.

[Flocka]

Originally Posted by Buckeyedynasty

Very true. But we can support whatever they decide to do....er come back to school guys....I mean support whatever they decide.

I am very interested in what all three of them decide to do, but do not wish for one or the other. They will all make educated decisions on what is the best thing to do. Sure, it would be great to get Oden, Cook, and Conley back, but we as fans are not in the position to say what is right or wrong for them.

[Buckeyedynasty]

Originally Posted by bigballin2987

I am very interested in what all three of them decide to do, but do not wish for one or the other. They will all make educated decisions on what is the best thing to do. Sure, it would be great to get Oden, Cook, and Conley back, but we as fans are not in the position to say what is right or wrong for them.

Agree 100% but the fan in me would love to see them make another run for the Championship. Either way I support them.

[OSU_Buckguy]

OSU men's basketball: Suspense may end next week

Dispatch

Two weeks ago, Conley Sr. told The Dispatch that his son was "not thinking about going pro." But he acknowledged then that the situation would be re-evaluated "if a shoe company came and offered Mike $80 million to turn pro."

Since then, Conley Sr. said, he has spoken with "friends . . . in the shoe business" and they told him that "point guards do well in shoe endorsements. (They said) if Michael is a top-10 pick, or the first point guard selected, he would be marketable in a shoe deal. . . . That's what's brought us here."

[jwinslow]

EC backing up SportsCenter report on Wake Board: (Conley can still return to school by June if he does not like what he is hearing.)

Mike Conley appears to be headed for the draft but will not hire an agent.
...
They said it on SC last night and theirs a insider article about it where Sr. says "I expect them to enter the draft"

Other EC comments, from OSU Scout free board:

I think Conley Sr put out feelers regarding Conley Jr to get back some sort of feedback to allow him to see where he would go in this draft if he were to enter.
...
I don't get the not signing with an agent in Oden and Conley's case.

-----------------

Originally Posted by OSU_Buckguy

Two weeks ago, Conley Sr. told The Dispatch that his son was "not thinking about going pro." But he acknowledged then that the situation would be re-evaluated "if a shoe company came and offered Mike $80 million to turn pro."

Interesting comment by Itownbuckeye in that same thread:

it's surprising that Conley could land a large shoe deal considering that Chris Paul only got $600,000 a year when he was coming out. the two are comparable players but i think Paul was more highly regarded and went #4 overall in the draft.

[MaxBuck]

Chris Paul may, indeed, have been more highly regarded (as measured by draft pick #), but MCJr just played in the national championship game. Great exposure, which translates into more endorsement opportunities.

I am less and less optimistic about any of the 3 frosh coming back.

[WyoBuckeye]

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

Chris Paul may, indeed, have been more highly regarded (as measured by draft pick #), but MCJr just played in the national championship game. Great exposure, which translates into more endorsement opportunities.

I am less and less optimistic about any of the 3 frosh coming back.

Not to mention the fact that Ohio State has many more fans than Wake Forest. This may translate into a higher demand for signature shoes/clothing.

[itownbuckeye]

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

Chris Paul may, indeed, have been more highly regarded (as measured by draft pick #), but MCJr just played in the national championship game. Great exposure, which translates into more endorsement opportunities.

I am less and less optimistic about any of the 3 frosh coming back.

how about Ray Felton who won a national championship and went 5th overall but didn't get much of a deal either?

[MaxBuck]

Originally Posted by itownbuckeye

how about Ray Felton who won a national championship and went 5th overall but didn't get much of a deal either?

Don't tell me, tell MCSr!

[graveyard.roses]

Conley sr. is as crafty as he looks. It's smart. He said what he said then about Mike coming back and using the hyperbole of the shoe deal. The hyperbole was to make it seem that there'd really be no chance of him leaving, but also left an open window to squirm his way through if Mike left and people started to question him--if he just said he'd come back without throwing out the hypothetical, he'd have nothing to stand back on when people call him a liar. He said it at the time to relieve the public pressure off of Mike for the rest of the tournament.

Read this:

Conley Sr. said he has talked briefly with his son since the Final Four about Junior's purported rise in the draft ranks.

"I said, 'Hey, Mike, do you understand that people are talking about you being a top-10 pick?' I asked him what he thought," Conley Sr. said.

"He said, 'Dad, I don't know what I think. In my mind, I was going back to school.' "


------

I honestly believe that Greg and Mike will leave. Conley's dad seems to be to be the headmaster in guiding them to do so. Coments such as
“Regardless of what they decide to do, they need to prepare for what they decide to do” sound to me like "You guys better get ready for the big time. Put in the work you're going to need to do for the scouts in the draft."


I think Daequan and Lighty will be the only freshmen on the team to return. '08 will most likely be the next magical year with Kosta and BJ.

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by graveyard.roses

I think Daequan and Lighty will be the only freshmen on the team to return. '08 will most likely be the next magical year with Kosta and BJ.

If the rumors are true and both Oden and Conley leave, I wouldn't be surprised to see Cook leave with them.

[korchiki]

I agree and going with that...if they both leave I would be more surprised to see him stay

[Oh8ch]

Not to mention the fact that Ohio State has many more fans than Wake Forest. This may translate into a higher demand for signature shoes/clothing.

Probably some truth in that, but a heck of a catch-22 that the support of your fan base can translate into an incentive to leave that very fan base.

[graveyard.roses]

I'm not really sure that Daequan thinks like that. I remember during the post game interviews of the Memphis game. Clay Hall asked him about how the Dorsey incident affected the team. He responded with something along the lines of-- It's just one man talking about another man. It's got nothing to do with me/us. I just go out there and play the game and not let it affect us.

So, going with that and going with how he seemed more concerned with his production than the team's production during the season, I think he'll see his draft stock and know that he could improve vastly by returning next year. Plus, if Greg is gone Daequan, being that he couldn't do it this year, will be able to showcase his game more, raising his stock considerably.

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by graveyard.roses

So, going with that and going with how he seemed more concerned with his production than the team's production during the season, I think he'll see his draft stock and know that he could improve vastly by returning next year. Plus, if Greg is gone Daequan, being that he couldn't do it this year, will be able to showcase his game more, raising his stock considerably.

I agree with everything you said--I think it's in Cook's best interest to return, no matter what happens with Oden and Conley. I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave if the other two do so.