On the eve of the Sweet Sixteen, the father of Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, disclosed to the Indy Star the formation his very own sports management agency, the MAC Management Group. With virtually no experience in sports management, Conley Sr. nevertheless has a stable of clients at his hip, including his son’s best friend Greg Oden and his former AAU player Daequan Cook. Conley Sr. is leaning heavily on his beneficial tenure as the coach of the Midwest’s premier AAU team, SPIECE Indy Heat. That team trotted out a formidable lineup, which included Oden, Conley, Jr., Cook, Eric Gordon, and Cook’s Dayton Dunbar teammate and Pitt recruit, Aaron Pogue. When asked to explain the rationale for his new business venture, Conley Sr. stated, “[T]hey’re definitely going to do something this year or next, so if I’m going to do it, I need to put myself in the position to be ready when the time comes.”
Who, other than Oden, is “definitely going” to the NBA “this year or next”? While Conley, Jr. hasn’t stated his intentions publicly, much to the disbelief of Columbus insiders Cook told the Columbus Dispatch he was considering his NBA options. Losing Oden to NBA has been expected by all Ohio State fans since he signed his letter of intent to play for Matta. If Cook and Conley decide to go pro and they get drafted, it’s hard to blame them. However, losing those three freshman cannot be construed as a positive development for Matta’s long term vision of the program even if Ohio State wins the National Championship.
Certainly, success at the level Ohio State has enjoyed thusfar breeds an environment conducive to the NBA dreams of teenagers. Despite another solid recruiting class coming in next year, one and done flights to the NBA create unanticipated voids and usher in a revolving door of freshmen talent. Michigan State was burned by such flights of fancy several years ago when Marcus Taylor and Zach Randolph bolted after one season and Jason Richardson left after two. Izzo adjusted and has leaned more heavily on recruits that plan on staying in East Lansing for longer than six months. If Ohio State gets burned this season, Matta will need to adjust.
[…] Right Said Knight Amidst the sea of carnival barkers heralding the one and dones as great for the college game and ignoring infinitely better stories such as Jeff Green, Carl Landry, and A.J. Graves, Bob Knight adds another layer to the already sequoia thick case against the new NBA age minimum of 19. While the myopic and naive trumpet that it’s gotten NBA scouts and agents out of high school gyms, it’s accounted for even more questionable contact and potential collusion or, at least, unhealthy symbiosis between college programs and coaches and the NBA interests. […]
Left by Hoopraker · Loose Balls: March 29 on March 28th, 2007