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Drew Gordon, UCLA’s third leading scorer, and top post presence, left the team today. The 6’8″ forward will transfer to another school where he’ll play next year unless he opts (to try) to be drafted by an NBA team.
A source told ESPN that it was a mutual parting due to behavior by Gordon that was detrimental to the team. Gordon has been known as an emotional player, and Coach Ben Howland said that this had been in the air for weeks and was not a spur of the moment decision.
What this means for the Dawgs:
First, this is another kick to a UCLA team that is clearly down right now. I’ve been in the “they’ll get better” camp, even though the record stands now at 2-4 with a couple of really bad losses. They might still get better. Basketball is a sport where “addition by subtraction” really does exist because it’s such a chemistry-based sport. If Gordon were truly a negative force in the locker room, replacing his production may prove easier than it looks. That said, I don’t think UCLA can be looked upon, at this point, as any threat to contend for a conference title.
Gordon will be able to help whichever school he chooses. He talents are undeniable, and the coach who can reign him in will reap the benefits. Interestingly enough, the final four schools he chose from as the #9-ranked power forward prospect in 2008: Arizona, Cal, UCLA, and. . . UW. I have nothing else to go on regarding whether there’s any chance he’d come to Seattle, nor any sense of whether the coaching staff would want him next January. But, it’s certainly interesting.
Repeat: Nothing to go on saying Gordon is coming to UW. And, truth be told, both Arizona and Cal have more need for a big man in 2010 than UW does at this point with the recent news that Enes Kanter is coming to town. But, still… In the world of Romar Math, anything can happen, right?
Thanks for coming!
Tags: Drew Gordon, Enes Kanter
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What worries me most about this move is how it is going to change UCLA in the eyes of a certain recruit…Jones. Does UCLA’s loss of Gordon clear up playing time for Jones?
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Generally release of a scholarship is conditional on where the player decides to transfer. Most schools wouldn’t grant a release if the player was transferring to a school in the same conference, meaning he’d have to sit for 2 years before playing again.
Even if he were allowed to transfer to UW, he’d have to sit for a year, which would be fine for this year when we have the extra scholly, but having him take up a roster spot while not being able to contribute until January 2011 isn’t a tradeoff I’d see Romar taking.
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Thanks for the clarification, Cassino. And, good points!
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I don’t see how he has 2 and a half years left? He played last year, thats 1(08-09). He has played this year that is 2(09-10). if he we to transfer to a school and be eligible to play next year (January of 2011) that would be his 3rd year(10-11). and then 1 the following year making 4 (11-12). I see him using 4 years of eligibility in 4 years? am I missing something, your statement of 2 and a half seasons is confusing to me?
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I think 2.5 years is correct, right? He will sit out the rest of the season this year, and a few games at the beginning of the next season to compensate for whatever number of games he played this season. Then he can play the rest of the next season as a sophomore (see Oliver). That would be 2.5.
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Another question worth asking is why we’d even be interested in a guy with the kind of character questions surrounding Gordon when we’re crunched for roster spots and already have the attention of top prospects with clean slates.
As for Jones, is he going to look at UCLA and see playing time, or a sinking ship that’s taking on water faster than it can be bailed out? After all, Gordon had playing time…
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Gordon will be able to play again in December 2010. At that point he will be able to start his next full season in the fall of 2011 as a junior and play that one and the next season.
I would hope that Terrence Jones will make taht call. Josh Smith has got to thinking twice about his doozie of a dumb-dumb.
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He does indeed have (about) 2.5 years left. This season will be his redshirt year, and he will be eligible to begin play again next season after the semester, essentially giving him half of his sophomore season.
Also, as cassino eluded to, don’t look for him in the pac10 again -that would cost him another year of eligibility. If he’s lucky he’ll end up in the WCC.
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