Listening to OOB replay from this morning. On third hour they were discussing some old names from Mississippi that were amazing at basketball. Got me to thinking. Stansbury signed, or at least committed Johnathan Bender, Travis Outlaw, and Monta Ellis. May have been more. My question for the board, since it seems I remember people saying they only committed because they knew they would never come to school, if the one and done had existed back then, do you think we get any/none/all of them?
Random What If
- Thread starter jack daniels dog
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Elis and Outlaw definitely had enough of a career to say that they made it. Bender not so much due to injuries.
Ellis was a good offensive player for a long time. Would have been big if he could have come to state before he went to the NBA.
I’ll never forget that game. For a while, I was excited because he was playing well. Then by the middle of the 2nd half, I realized he was playing TOO well & was probably going straight to the NBA. I think we get all 3 for a year if they had the 1 & done rule back then.
Outlaw had a decent career. In 2014 while playing for the Nicks he was traded to the 76ers for get this, Arnett Moultrie.
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Monta had the best career. He was a big part of the Warriors team that was an 8 seed knocking off the the 1 seed Mavericks. He was a chucker though, and if he was cold he would shoot his team out of a game.
I think they all probably come. Travis Outlaw is from Starkville, and his family are all big State people. I am certain if the 1 and done rule were in place, he would have been at State for at least 1 year.
Tangent Question- Travis would have been on the 03-04 State team (Road Warriors). He would have likely started over Shane Power at the 3. With Travis Outlaw does State legitimately compete for the national title ?
Tangent Question- Travis would have been on the 03-04 State team (Road Warriors). He would have likely started over Shane Power at the 3. With Travis Outlaw does State legitimately compete for the national title ?
We'd have gotten them all, but you have to think about it like this. All the other programs would have also gotten guys who went straight to the NBA. I mean, somebody would have signed Lebron James. So, all that to say, I don't know if it would have translated into more wins for us.
I think he was coming to State but didn't he blow up some tryout or something? At the time he was considered too short to go into the NBA for a 2 guard. No high school player had been drafted below somewhere around 6'3" and that was the point guard from NY that was supposed to be the next great pg.
We for sure get Bender I think. As others mentioned, he didn't intend to jump to the NBA until the McDonald's game.
Outlaw and Ellis both I think intended to go to the NBA when they committed, so maybe they look blue blood if they knew they had to go, but we were pretty good at the time and they were instate, so it wouldn't have been crazy for us to get both of them for a year.
Outlaw and Ellis both I think intended to go to the NBA when they committed, so maybe they look blue blood if they knew they had to go, but we were pretty good at the time and they were instate, so it wouldn't have been crazy for us to get both of them for a year.
My favorite "What if..." that turned out in our favor was the Othello Harrington recruitment. After we didn't get him (he didn't announce until late in the spring), State fans were despondent, but we still had an extra scholarship that we were holding for him. Used it on a small unsigned shooting guard from Alabama named Darryl Wilson. Then, the following year, we signed Erick Dampier, who, most likely, wouldn't have signed with State if Harrington had been there. So the Harrington for Wilson/Dampier trade worked out pretty well in the end.
Monta averaged 18 points a game in his NBA career. Had two years with the Warriors where he averaged over 24 points a game and a playoff series with Dallas where he averaged 26 game.
He had two problems though:
1. After that run with the 2007 Warriors early in his career, he never was on a team that got past the first round of the playoffs again. So he never really got the exposure that other really good players got.
2. In recent years the NBA shifted to more of a three point oriented league, and Monta was an undersized SG who couldn’t shoot threes. Had he been a better shooter he would probably still be around in the NBA.
He had two problems though:
1. After that run with the 2007 Warriors early in his career, he never was on a team that got past the first round of the playoffs again. So he never really got the exposure that other really good players got.
2. In recent years the NBA shifted to more of a three point oriented league, and Monta was an undersized SG who couldn’t shoot threes. Had he been a better shooter he would probably still be around in the NBA.
Monta will also be the biggest What If IMO. His ability to score was NBA level even in high school. He would've absolutely been a one and done, but damn it would've been fun to have him at the height of our success.
The other player that I think you are referring to Sebastian Telfair, who was a complete bust. As for Monta, he did blow up but there were still enormous concerns about his size. Didn’t get drafted until 40th overall (2nd round), where about 80% of guys are out of the league in 3 years or so if they even make it that long. The popular thinking when he got drafted was that he made a huge mistake by not coming to MSU. Of course, he proved everybody wrong.
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I went to the MLK tournament game at the coliseum just to watch him play. IT was a big match up with the kid from GA (I wonder what happened to him, I can't even remember his name but he was one of the top recruits in the nation as well). It was fantastic to watch.
Al Jefferson from Prentiss too.
After losing Bender, the trend of kids skipping college was full on. Stans knew good and well Jefferson was a first rounder and quit recruiting him. Stans said Al would’ve signed with us over Arkansas.
After losing Bender, the trend of kids skipping college was full on. Stans knew good and well Jefferson was a first rounder and quit recruiting him. Stans said Al would’ve signed with us over Arkansas.
I believe you are referring to Lou Williams. He’s still in NBA playin for the Clippers. He scored 45 a few nights ago.
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