Jarnell is making a "business decision" on Thursday

#26
#26
MemphisCanes said:
He can only not play if he receives institutional funds from either school. Paying his own way (unlikely) or receiving a scholarship like the HOPE would mean he could play in the Spring.
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Is the hope scholarship realistic to get at this point in the year?

Memphis, what is your feeling on where he goes? I was a little surprised to see Jason Smith basically tell Memphis fans to go ahead and move along last night.
 
#27
#27
Rorban said:
I'm sure you've heard the quote he made:
"I don't want to turn my back on my city, but it's a business decision."

I know a lot of you guys would love to have him, but I'm completely turned off by any prospect choosing a school based on exposure for the NBA rather than wanting to be apart of winning on the collegiate level. I much rather prefer basketball players who work themselves into NBA prospects rather than guys who think from Day 1 everything revolves around the NBA.


Compare/Contrast what we witnessed with Scotty Hopson as a freshman in comparison to what we witnessed with Tobias Harris as a freshman.

As a top recruit, Hopson was terribly selfish & made stupid plays in his quest to impress NBA scouts as a freshman. Pearl had to make some promises to talk him out of Mississippi State and that caused a disconnect between Scotty & the team as a freshman. Problem is it never changed, and then it became Scotty's disconnect with reality as he kept returning hoping it would raise his draft stock. Hes now currently playing in Greece.

Tobias Harris on the other hand came in without his mindset focused on getting to the NBA as a freshman. He picked Tennessee because he loved the program, style of play, & Coach Pearl. He played hard and he worked himself onto the NBA Draft radar by the middle of his freshman season, and by the end of the season he was being projected as a borderline 1st rounder. He only left because with many of the top prospects returning, his stock was boosted into the Top 20 picks.


If Jarnell does pick UT, we'll see where he falls on that line. I just dont like seeing a kid viewing his college choice as a "business decision" towards the NBA. He has a bunch of idiot advisers around him who influenced his bad decision to transfer schools. I just hate seeing HS athletes in general be influenced by family/friends/advisors around them creating a fantasy of how things should go in college. I've seen this story play out far too many times in football & basketball and often it doesn't end well.
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Since you're quoting you do know he has stated that he is leaving it up to the Coach to decide whether he plays immediately or in the fall of 2012. Doesn't sound like a selfish player to me. Also, any 5 star player coming to any school has the NBA as a top priority. Thus you have one and dones and in some cases it takes some kids 2 yrs. But don't be fooled into thinking the majority of these kids don't have aspirations of playing professionally. Let a kid have a breakout season and I guarantee you he will weigh the options of going Pro. Even the head coaches advise them in these cases.
 
#28
#28
If I had that kind of talent, I would be thinking about making millions in the NBA. Anyone who says otherwise isn't being honest.
 
#29
#29
This is no different than a College Coach deciding to leave one school for another. It's business driven by the dollar. Stokes is securing his future in getting to the next level. Like it or love it it's business.
 
#30
#30
GoVols2003 said:
Is the hope scholarship realistic to get at this point in the year?

Memphis, what is your feeling on where he goes? I was a little surprised to see Jason Smith basically tell Memphis fans to go ahead and move along last night.
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Who knows on the HOPE scholarship.

Brooks Hansen was the one who told Memphis fans to move along. We've got a big game on Thursday night, and all signs are pointing to UT for Stokes. The kid is fickle, but it sounds like his mind has been made up for a few days. I expect a UT committ on Thursday.
 
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#31
#31
When you go to college for whatever degree you're pursuing, you're then making a "business decision." I don't have any qualms about the wording at that phrase at all. It's smart.

Best of luck to you Jarnell, wherever you end up.
 
#35
#35
Anyone who chooses to attend a university because it is in the university's best interest isn't smart enough to go to university.
 
#36
#36
Folks go to college to get a better shot at a "job" and increase their earning potential, with some exceptions. That's what he's doing. He wants to work for a team in the NBA.
 
#37
#37
Bassmanbruno said:
lol - such a contradiction - like BPV said - its the exact same mindset Tobias came in with. All business.
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Exactly. It is what it is. Just come here, play ur best, & leave if you feel your ready for the NBA. Help our team, and be Gone. That's perfectly fine with me.
 
#38
#38
Escape Goat said:
Exactly. It is what it is. Just come here, play ur best, & leave if you feel your ready for the NBA. Help our team, and be Gone. That's perfectly fine with me.
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feels like NSD. It's going to be a good day tomorrow...

unless it turns out to be a bad day.
 
#43
#43
SlyStone said:
Since you're quoting you do know he has stated that he is leaving it up to the Coach to decide whether he plays immediately or in the fall of 2012. Doesn't sound like a selfish player to me. Also, any 5 star player coming to any school has the NBA as a top priority. Thus you have one and dones and in some cases it takes some kids 2 yrs. But don't be fooled into thinking the majority of these kids don't have aspirations of playing professionally. Let a kid have a breakout season and I guarantee you he will weigh the options of going Pro. Even the head coaches advise them in these cases.
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I completely disagree.

I've seen plenty enough of examples of 5* recruits picking a school because they want to be apart of the tradition & win on the collegiate level. I am not criticizing any recruit for wanting to pursue a professional basketball career. I am simply turned off by the idea of a recruit coming in for the sake of NBA exposure only. How do you know if that kid is 100% committed to being a Good student? Good teammate?

Why is it so hard for many on here to accept that maybe the best thing for our program is to target kids interested in winning on the collegiate level and building a tradition here? I'll take guys that Duke/Michigan State/North Carolina/etc bring in over Tennessee basketball being a pedestal program for a recruit to get a lot of playing time to impress NBA scouts from Day 1.
 
#44
#44
VolsSportsFan said:
This thread is pretty stupid. Of course it's a business decision, he'd be stupid to not view it as one.

Some of you guys need to wake up to the reality of major college sports.
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That "reality" you speak of defines the choices made by a school in what players they want representing their university. There are plenty of programs who do it the right way instead of being used by players for their own alterior motives.

You see what happened to UCLA basketball?
What about USC basketball?
 
#45
#45
bUTrosbUTrosVOLie said:
Folks go to college to get a better shot at a "job" and increase their earning potential, with some exceptions. That's what he's doing. He wants to work for a team in the NBA.
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I understand that he has professional aspirations like most talented athletes do, but its obvious that this "business decision" is one to benefit himself.

In no way were we even in his Top 5 a few months ago, but its obvious that hes looking at a losing team with a depleted roster here and seeing all sorts of opportunities to benefit himself.

If he wants to be a Vol thats fine & dandy. But how about you go out there and help recruit other players to join you at UT so that you can win on the collegiate level and bring some relevance back to this program. Dont just come here because we offer you playing time to showcase yourself for the NBA and leave us high & dry.
 
#46
#46
BigPapaVol said:
Tobias Harris absolutely came here with a mindset toward the NBA. His father was very clear about that.
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His father says a lot of things. With the way hes handled the recruitment of his sons & daughter, it is fair to understand his motives for their careers.

I never saw anything from Tobias to lead me to believe he was here only to be a "1 & Done". There wasnt any scouting service having him on the NBA Draft radar when he arrived as a freshman, therefore for him to believe he was an automatic "1 & Done" would be silly. I will always believe that he came here with the interest in being a Vol and working his way towards a NBA dream. He did just that.
 
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