Nick Ward submits name to NBA Draft, not hiring an agent

Submitted by Bambi on

Only link I've seen so far is on RCMB so not linking, but this isn't too surprising. Rumors have been that Ward may be leaving and just wants to get paid, whether it's NBA or not. Some draft boards have him as a late 2nd-round pick so this will give him the option of gauging where he's at and returning or staying in the draft.

JJJ has still yet to announce what he's going to do. Common sense says go pro (projected top 3 pick in some places, top 10 at worst) but there are some rumors he may stay for his Sophomore year. I don't get why after getting benched for Carter against Syracuse and seeing how poorly it worked out for Bridges, but if he wants to come back to go 0-2 against Michigan again be my guest.

TrueBlue2003

March 29th, 2018 at 4:44 PM ^

they're guarding shooters standing at the 3pt line waiting for a kick so 1) they're not in position to help easily and 2) if they do help, they're giving up a wide open three.

That's what makes it so hard to guard a team on which all 5 guys can shoot threes and get to the basket.

It was 1 on 1 and Wagner broke Ward's ankles. 

Naked Bootlegger

March 29th, 2018 at 7:49 PM ^

I agree completely that JB's offense creates stress points that can be exploited when defense helps, but Bridges should have helped here.   His defensive placement was woeful if he was hedging on a well-positioned 3 point shooter.   And his defensive placement and reactions were woeful if he should be helping mend Ward's broken cankles.    Either way, Bridges' defensive positioning and reactions were bad.

If Bridges helps and Wagner kicks out, other MSU defenders should rotate and close out on the open 3 point shooter.   And further defensive rotations should cover other open shooters.  Michigan's defense has been brilliant on rotations in recent weeks - it's been lovely to watch.

But this overanalysis minimizes the fun of watching Wagner turn Ward into a bumbling mass of European League bound humanity.

 

 

TrueBlue2003

March 30th, 2018 at 12:25 AM ^

Bridges looks closer because of the angle of that shot but he had too much ground to make up to do anything but foul and you don't want to do that.  Bridges could not have forced a pass from his position.  You have to be playing way off your man to help off a weakside three pointer and Bridges wasn't playing far enough off (because he was giving himself a chance to close out).

And if he were playing closer to Wagner such that he could get to him, it's a wide open three for us.  It doesn't matter if a guy rotates and helps on Bridges man because then the guy he left is wide open.

Watch the A&M first half again for an example of how easy we get wide open threes when teams help enough to stop the dribble drive.

Against a team with 5 three point shooters and no one in the post (where it's much easier to help from), you have to be able to guard one-on-one or you're dead in the water.  MSU knew it, stayed with our shooters and leaned on their one-on-one defense, but Ward couldn't handle it.

Our defense actually doesn't help much at all which is why we're so good at it. We don't need to. Again, you have to be able to defend one-on-one in modern basketball.  Our guards do such a tremendous job of keeping guys in front of the them that it allows us to stick with shooters on the perimeter and our bigs can deny their men and then box out (a big reason for our excellent d-rebouding - we rarely leave guys to get OREBs).

We also take our chances with guys in the post, almost never sending a help defender/double team.  Play straight up, guard the three and box your man out.  That's our defense.

Except on pick and rolls where you have to help and rotate and we are really smart about how we help and how helps (usually Duncan off a guy in the corner/a skip pass away or the weakest 3pt shooter).

Naked Bootlegger

March 30th, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^

I was ridiculing my overanalysis, not yours!

I'll agree to disagree regarding MSU help defense.  I don't buy the camera angle for Bridges' positioning.  He's not more than 2 steps away from Wagner.  His left foot is in the free throw lane. He could cut Wagner off immediately if he reacts at all.  If Wagner kicks out, MSU corner defensive guy covers Bridges' vacated man, then Bridges needs to cover the open corner shooter.   And hopefully Ward finally gets off the floor to guard Wagner again.   But your scenario is also correct - maybe MSU was coached not to help so we don't rain 3's.  But if this was the case, Bridges is still in poor position.  

I agree completely with you regarding our defense.  We don't have to help much.  But we also close out and rotate extremely well when we're caught in a scramble situation, or defending pick and roll situations.   This is one area where we've improved dramatically compared to previous years.

 

814 East U

March 29th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^

Get those workouts in before Charles Matthews shows up to laugh in your face, Nick.

Solari, Couch, and the rest of the Spartan "reporters" will be flooding (and already have to some extent) East Lansing with "JJJ Should Stay" articles. Couch just wrote one. However, the article only works if you assume JJJ doesn't go top 5 in 2018 or 2019. Otherwise, Couch's numbers are wrong. Izzo has these clowns on payroll.

TrueBlue2003

March 29th, 2018 at 4:57 PM ^

it was more like "he could stay if he prefers college life for another NBA year because his family doesn't need the money".  Also, he is assuming (mostly correctly) that JJJ would go top 5 in either year.  He admits he can't help his stock by coming back.

Other than this number, I didn't see anything wrong with his numbers: My pet peave (grrrr) is that he said it in the context of "how does JJJ want to spend his 19th year.  JJJ is 18 which means his 19th year is more than half over. He'll be 19 before next basketball season starts so it's a question of how he wants to spend his 20th year.  C'mon, Couch! 

Maison Bleue

March 29th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^

I think someone yesterday(UMBIG11?) said he was possibly considering Europe as well. Makes sense with his hate-hate relationship with Izzo.

P.S. If Jackson stays another year, I don't know man, there must be something in the water in EL. Top 3 pick set to make millions, comes back to get worse under Izzo? Yeesh, that would be pretty dumb.

Bambi

March 29th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^

A few mocks have him as a late 2nd

http://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft

https://www.draftsite.com/nba/mock-draft/2018/

He also released a statement on his decision to leave but the wording makes it sound more final that he's planning on leaving. He thanks everyone for supporting him these last 2 years but he wants to "explore all his options" and that "at this time" he's not hiring an agent.

If I had to guess, he's gone.

Indonacious

March 29th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^

I expect JJJ to stay for another year, but I take solace in the fact that I know he will be poorly utilized next year despite being a top 5 talent.

sarto1g

March 29th, 2018 at 1:27 PM ^

Genuinely curious what he ends up doing.  Izzo and him apparently are on the outs, but he seems too eager to go pro to transfer and sit out a year.  Europe would be the next best option since there isn't much room for a 6-8 245 center with no outside shooting in the NBA

Wolverinefan84

March 29th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^

Tough to see him as a good fit in today's NBA. Fouls a ton, only offense is in the low post, poor defense against bigs with skill (e.g. Wagner). Would've been excellent a decade or 2 ago, but not so much anymore.. kind of like his head coach.

Mike Damone

March 29th, 2018 at 1:50 PM ^

you write a note like this - you have emotionally crossed the line to leave. 

My guess is that if he thinks he can get drafted in the 2nd round, and play D-League - he is gone.  Looking for someplace he can make money, and far enough away that he won't have to smell the ongoing dumpster fire in East Lansing... 

Mr Miggle

March 29th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^

although that seems highly unlikely.

It's probably a smart move, even if he has no intention of returning. Instead of of writers and MSU fans attacking him for a "dumb" move, he'll have them begging him to come back. And if he get's a favorable draft grade, he can leave in peace.

814 East U

March 29th, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^

Every school (including Michigan) has athletes that would have probably not attended said university if it were not for their athletic ability. It still shocks me when I see the lack of grammar skills some athletes have at major universities. 

J.

March 29th, 2018 at 1:50 PM ^

"Would probably not attended..."

Ward's post is actually better than many I've seen.  The picture.. a little weird.  The grammar.. eh.

Drat -- I think you edited it before I locked it in. ;)  It's still not right, though.

LSAClassOf2000

March 29th, 2018 at 2:40 PM ^

I could be wrong here, and if so, feel free to tell me where I went wrong, but this post - especially the part about not hiring an agent - makes me think he is mentally checked out insofar as it pertains to staying at MSU. That is, he isn't staying, even if he's not NBA-bound necessarily. I don't remember a lot of players testing the waters AND making this sort of statement.