Shamorie wins the Haggerty Award!

[quote="redmanwest" post=282600]No sh&% Sherlock. Read what I wrote. It is disconcerting for the program. I wish him the best regardless of what happens. But, if he leaves I hope it isn't misguided.

[quote="fordham96" post=282593][quote="redmanwest" post=282587]YES, congrats to Shamorie. Hopefully he will win it again next year!

But, that quote is a little disconcerting. Hope the best for him. If that means it is best for him to go, then so be it. But if he does, let's hope it is not under false expectations (ala Omar Cook).[/quote]

Why is it disconcerting? Newsflash Shamorie Ponds doesn't exist for the purposes of making SJU fans happy. It's his life not yours. If SJU isn't good enough to withstand his early departure then that is not his problem that is the problem of the HC and staff.[/quote][/quote]

OK I'll bite, why is it disconcerting for the program, is SJU basketball ending if he leaves?

Is Villanova basketball ending because Bridges, Brunson, Dante D and Spellman all declared?
I still fail to see why it would be disconcerting to you personally or as you say the program.
 
[quote="Tom in Salem" post=282596][quote="88grad" post=282590][quote="Paultzman" post=282580]Zach B
Shamorie Ponds admitted this will be a big week. A Combine invite will reveal a lot of where he stands. Did say he's "60/40" with edge to staying in draft, but that could obviously change. #sjubb[/quote]

There are 236 players that have declared early for the draft. Add in seniors and international players vying for 60 spots. Does anyone see Shamorie getting drafted?[/quote]

And he gains "what" by returning?[/quote]

I have no idea if he gains anything by staying or leaving. I was merely asking whether people thought he would get drafted based on the number of players declaring for the draft.
 
It's really logical on his part to say that. He is going to combines to do some damage and show he is a first round pick. He shouldn't think any other way. If he kills everyone there, he could convince himself he is a first rounder.

The only problem I see with that logic is that he could play very well, but unless he tears it up in a way that shows he is heads and tails above every other guard (just about), NBA teams will be hesitant to burn a first round pick on a smaller guard. He could play reasonably well, stay in the draft, and still end up in the latter part of the second round, if at all. Watching the NCAA tournament, there are a lot of very good guards.

Still all in all, wish him the best, and if he goes into the draft hope he is a first round pick. With solid but just short players like Ryan Arcidiacono still toiling in sub NBA basketball, the road is pretty tough.
 
You are trying extraordinarily hard to make your point. The word "disconcerting" means upsetting. He is our best player. So the fact that he may leave is "upsetting" to a big fan of the team. Can we move on now?
 
[quote="Windy City Johnny Fan" post=282606]You are trying extraordinarily hard to make your point. The word "disconcerting" means upsetting. He is our best player. So the fact that he may leave is "upsetting" to a big fan of the team. Can we move on now?[/quote]

No I still don't get it. I think you are trying exceedingly hard to try to disprove what I wrote earlier was accurate because it ultimately was.

Really great players, Brunson for example, leave college thru graduation and early everyday. There is nothing disconcerting about it since it is commonplace UNLESS you PERSONALLY were counting on him coming back to help a struggling program which is precisely my point.
 
[quote="Tom in Salem" post=282596][quote="88grad" post=282590][quote="Paultzman" post=282580]Zach B
Shamorie Ponds admitted this will be a big week. A Combine invite will reveal a lot of where he stands. Did say he's "60/40" with edge to staying in draft, but that could obviously change. #sjubb[/quote]

There are 236 players that have declared early for the draft. Add in seniors and international players vying for 60 spots. Does anyone see Shamorie getting drafted?[/quote]

And he gains "what" by returning?[/quote]

Tom, actually, the staff felt that most of his season we did not see the best of Ponds. When he finally upped his game, he carried us to some big wins. The question that remains for the NBA is were those 5 or 6 games that he led us to wins after we had lost 11 in a row an aberration by a player in a zone, or is that the real Shamorie Ponds. If he proves that the "great" Shamorie is the real Ponds over the course of an entire season, we make the tourney, and he is a solid first round pick. Banking on the combines may be a little risky on his part.

I think if you compare hot streaks, Hardy torched the competition for about 10 games in Lavin's first season, including wrecking Kemba Walker. It wasn't enough to play himself into the draft, and now 8 seasons later is playing abroad. Overall I think Ponds is much better, but how much better remains to be seen.
 
Last edited:
With that 60/40 comment, have to believe he has one foot out the door, and Europe is in play for him.
 
Definitely dissapoonting to us fans that he's leaving in towards staying in the draft, but If he feels that's best for him, that's fine. I guess the most dissapoonting part is he's currently not even projected as a draft pick this year. Not sure the combine will change that. Too many kids he'd have to jump. NBADraft.net which is typically very accurate doesn't project him to be picked. On their top 100 board they have him as the 89th best player in this draft. However, all it takes is a guarantee to change everything, but it just seems so uncertain. This isn't like when Mom Harkless left and he was a projected lottery pick.

Interestingly enough, it appears Omari Spellman and Don't DiVincenzo are now considered first round picks obviously a result of their tournament run.
 
At this point in the process, Shamorie should be determined to "go get it". He should make his best push and evaluate before the deadline.

Still feel he will be back.
 
[quote="JohnnyFan" post=282614]At this point in the process, Shamorie should be determined to "go get it". He should make his best push and evaluate before the deadline.

Still feel he will be back.[/quote]
Sense so also. Good point!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hope he does the right thing for himself and his family . take the money and run tmc run

MO THIS would open the door of LJ TO START he is some athletic shooting guard with a better shooting % from deep,DOES IT ALL
One door closes as one opens. either way thank you Ponds for making our program better and best of luck whatever you decide., you will always be part of St Johns family
 
Skuddlebutt has the Jets picking up Shamorie with the 3rd pick.
 
[quote="88grad" post=282590][quote="Paultzman" post=282580]Zach B
Shamorie Ponds admitted this will be a big week. A Combine invite will reveal a lot of where he stands. Did say he's "60/40" with edge to staying in draft, but that could obviously change. #sjubb[/quote]

There are 236 players that have declared early for the draft. Add in seniors and international players vying for 60 spots. Does anyone see Shamorie getting drafted?[/quote]

Did anyone think Marcus LoVett would get drafted? It didn't stop him from leaving the team.
Unless he bombs in the tryouts I sense he has made up his mind to play pro ball......likely overseas. Call it the LoVett effect if you will but Marcus' influence was not a positive one for Shamorie. Likely why the rush to secure transfer guards.
If Ponds is saying 60/40 you can bet it's 70/30. Let's hope for a poor showing to knock some sense into him.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=282624]Zach B piece today

“It’s hard decision right now. It’s probably 60/40 [staying in the draft]. It’s a decision that could set me and my family for life. We’re not the wealthiest. We’re not poor. I could move me and my [family] out of the projects, put my brother and sister in good positions.”
https://nypost.com/2018/04/25/shamorie-ponds-on-hard-nba-decision-prestigious-award/[/quote]

Odds seem long Shamorie will be a 1st round pick. But he could play very well at the combine and gain lucrative offers from Europe. If he’s not a 1st round pick, I wish that for him.
I do not wish the empty arenas of the D League.
Whatever road he chooses, I wish him the best of luck.
A great Johnny forever.
 
I think Pond's best decision would be to return to St. John's and get physically bigger and stronger and improve his game. Still some work to be done to move him into the next level.
 
Thanks USG
I agree with your sentiments!
Shamorie take your time; share with your folks and siblings who are obvious important to you; think of it this way - your have several GOOD choices and decisions to make. A win-win situation it seems.
You are of course welcomed back to the Red Storm - but you are appreciated for what you have already accomplished at SJU and what you will accomplish!
All the best
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=282624]Zach B piece today

“It’s hard decision right now. It’s probably 60/40 [staying in the draft]. It’s a decision that could set me and my family for life. We’re not the wealthiest. We’re not poor. I could move me and my [family] out of the projects, put my brother and sister in good positions.”
https://nypost.com/2018/04/25/shamorie-ponds-on-hard-nba-decision-prestigious-award/[/quote]

I'm troubled by this sentiment - not that a long and prosperous NBA career wouldn't be life changing, but that any NBA career would set him up for life.

The NBA minimum salary is $543K. It's a nice chunk of change, but the government basically will get half of that in taxes, and you cannot even live like an NBA player at that level.

Even if you presume a 5 year NBA career and say $10 million in total earnings, that would likely not last a lifetime.
I remember reading that Walter Berry was earning a ton of money in Europe, but after his playing days were over could not afford to keep his mansion down south.

Kids see NBA players driving tricked out Escalades, on TV living in multi-million dollar cribs, and imagine having a crew that hangs with them in expensive clubs and restaurants.

Reportedly 60% of NBA players are bankrupt within 5 years of their playing days ending:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_finances_of_professional_American_athletes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top