Illinois' Richmond Bolts for NBA
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Apr 6, 2011 3:20PM
Every year, there are guys who we all know are going to jump to the NBA after their freshman year at college. Many of these "one-and-done" players would've likely gone pro straight out of high school had the NBA instituted new draft eligibility rules a few years back. Rules that were enacted specifically to prevent kids from acting foolishly. For every Derrick Rose or Carmelo Anthony, there's a Korleone Young or Leon Smith.
But even a year in college isn't always enough to splash some with a dose of reality, so University of Illinois freshman Jereme Richmond declared for the June draft yesterday. Richmond, a 6'7" guard/forward from Waukegan was Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2010 and a McDonald's All American. But he averaged 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 31 appearances for the Ilini. While that did earn him a spot on the all-Big Ten freshman team, that's not exactly NBA first rounder material. More telling for Richmond's scouting report were behavioral issues that resulted in his suspension on a couple of occasions last season.
Players who declare for the draft can withdraw and return to their college team if they do not sign with an agent. But according to Illinois assistant athletic director Kent Brown he's expected to withdraw from classes, signaling that he's just not testing the waters to see what his draft prospects might be.
In a statement released yesterday, Richmond said, "I enjoyed my time at the University of Illinois and would like to thank the coaching staff and my teammates for everything they've done for me At this time, I'm ready to follow my dreams and achieve my lifelong goal of playing in the NBA."
More likely, he'll be tossing any hopes of a successful NBA career out the window with his premature departure from college. Even if he were drafted, he'd be better served in the long run by playing for Bruce Weber and the Ilini for at least another year and enhancing his draft standing, than riding the pine in the NBA or playing in the NBDL. Or is riding a bus between Springfield and Ft. Wayne while earning $20k Richmond's idea of living the dream?