Tavernari's value
 

I was thinking about Rose's coaching moves late in the game. How cool is it to have a true freshman that can play such an important role (the big ball handler and cool free throw shooter)? Seriously, how many kids could come in straight out of high school and have that kind of coolness to take on that role when the game is on the line (esp. when the rest of the team seemed to be losing a little composure at the line-- a lot of ugly clank shots)? I don't think they come around that often.

Props to Rose for his coaching and JT for his mental toughness.

Oden and Durrant, to name two.

Devin Durrant or his son or some nephew or cousin twice removed? Devin Durrant was BYU's greatest wing player, and perhaps its greatest freshman. The mission hobbled him for good though he still led the nation in scoring on a so-so BYU team. BTW, he was the one who started this mission fad among star DI Mormon athletes. Credit your two big stars for fighting through it. Is this Brazilian kid going on one?

The 80's was a great decade, but you really need to come out of it if you want to talk college hoops.

Not that we know of. Rose only recruits players who don't want to serve, and allows Utah to recruit likely missionaries.

???

May the good Lord hobble all of our beloved returned missionaries in the same fashion.

Problem is there's nothing re BYU to talk about since then.

He scored a lot of points but was not as complete a player as he could have been. He also was not a serious NBA candidate. As a freshman he was supple and cocky and slam it down in your face and behind the back dribble type. I recall about 20 ppg as a freshman on a very good team. After his mission he had that wasted, pasty faced white guy look.

LOL. You're killing me, SU. Come on. I am guessing that with your world view, anyone who goes on a mission never is whole again.

Durrant never had an NBA body. He came back from his mission and was scoring about 35 ppg by his senior year. And they beat some pretty good teams. There was no drop-off.

I don't agree with Seattle's review, but I felt he lacked a little extra umpf after his mission. However, the teams after his mission weren't at good. That's part of the problem.