DENVER — Tony Allen was the player of the year in the Big 12 after leading Oklahoma State to a conference title and Final Four appearance. Perhaps his toughest individual rival was Andre Emmett, the key player in the resurgence of Bobby Knight and Texas Tech basketball.
The two collegiate seniors — an endangered species when it comes to the NBA draft — worked out for the Nuggets on Thursday at the Pepsi Center. A decade ago, Denver would have been drooling over such an accomplished twosome, but next month neither is expected to be taken in the first round of a draft dominated by high school and foreign prospects.
"I mean, it's their call," Emmett said. "But personally I think the guys who went through college, they're tough. Not taking anything away from the high school cats, but I've been in a structured system and played in one of the toughest levels of basketball. It's not our call, so we just play hard and try to get in where we fit."
The Nuggets have the 20th pick in the draft and do not have a second-round selection. Which means Allen and Emmett probably do not fit into their plans.
"I try my best not to worry about those high school guys; (I) just take care of what I bring to the table. Come in, compete and work hard," Allen said. "It is very few seniors, I've got to admit. I'm one of the top seniors, just to be bragging or whatever."
Being a college senior is nothing to brag about these days when it comes to the NBA. St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson is the only member of this exclusive club projected to be among the top 20 picks in the draft.
Potential is a great word for scouts and executives, but a word that head coaches on the hot seat don't have time for.
"It's really sad and really is why I think there needs to be some kind of age limit, because it's not good for the player or the game to be quite frank," Denver head coach Jeff Bzdelik said of the league's trend of ignoring college upperclassmen early in the draft. "The teams that are in the lottery for the most part are teams that obviously need to get better. But then you draft a player who is not ready, and that player has to play right away to develop. You just really make it difficult to win."
Players like Allen and Emmett do have one thing going for them that many of the high school and foreign players do not entering the league — they actually know how to play basketball. Eddie Sutton and Knight made sure of that.
"You don't have to teach them as much," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said. "You're short of time in the NBA and you're expected to know certain things when you get here. I think we have a great developmental program, but playing for a great college coach gives you a real head start."
Fundamentally, yes. Financially, not even close.
"Everyone says, 'Well, why hasn't he been taken already and how did he make it to be a senior?' Because typically in today's draft if you're super-talented, you go before that," Vandeweghe said. "Economically, you can't afford to stay (in college), which I understand. I don't know, I think in some guys cases it works to their favor. It helps them in their career. I think the pro scouts are savvy enough to understand talent and where guys fit in."
Allen and Emmett believe they will fit in somewhere at the next level. Both held their own against Kansas and Kirk Hinrich, the Chicago Bulls' lottery pick last season who had a solid rookie campaign after four years in the Big 12.
"He had a great rookie season, and I think that has a lot to do with him being in a great system under a great coach," Emmett said. "And just going through things a lot of people don't go through, like graduating from school."
Emmett thought about entering the draft after his junior season, but his mother wouldn't let him leave Lubbock before getting his business management degree. Allen, like most Cowboys, wanted to soak up as much Stillwater hoops knowledge as he could.
"I needed all the college experience I had," Allen said. "Good coaching. Eddie Sutton was just like a mentor to me and he taught me a lot. Without that I don't think I'd be half the player I am now."
http://www.dailycamera.com
The two collegiate seniors — an endangered species when it comes to the NBA draft — worked out for the Nuggets on Thursday at the Pepsi Center. A decade ago, Denver would have been drooling over such an accomplished twosome, but next month neither is expected to be taken in the first round of a draft dominated by high school and foreign prospects.
"I mean, it's their call," Emmett said. "But personally I think the guys who went through college, they're tough. Not taking anything away from the high school cats, but I've been in a structured system and played in one of the toughest levels of basketball. It's not our call, so we just play hard and try to get in where we fit."
The Nuggets have the 20th pick in the draft and do not have a second-round selection. Which means Allen and Emmett probably do not fit into their plans.
"I try my best not to worry about those high school guys; (I) just take care of what I bring to the table. Come in, compete and work hard," Allen said. "It is very few seniors, I've got to admit. I'm one of the top seniors, just to be bragging or whatever."
Being a college senior is nothing to brag about these days when it comes to the NBA. St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson is the only member of this exclusive club projected to be among the top 20 picks in the draft.
Potential is a great word for scouts and executives, but a word that head coaches on the hot seat don't have time for.
"It's really sad and really is why I think there needs to be some kind of age limit, because it's not good for the player or the game to be quite frank," Denver head coach Jeff Bzdelik said of the league's trend of ignoring college upperclassmen early in the draft. "The teams that are in the lottery for the most part are teams that obviously need to get better. But then you draft a player who is not ready, and that player has to play right away to develop. You just really make it difficult to win."
Players like Allen and Emmett do have one thing going for them that many of the high school and foreign players do not entering the league — they actually know how to play basketball. Eddie Sutton and Knight made sure of that.
"You don't have to teach them as much," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said. "You're short of time in the NBA and you're expected to know certain things when you get here. I think we have a great developmental program, but playing for a great college coach gives you a real head start."
Fundamentally, yes. Financially, not even close.
"Everyone says, 'Well, why hasn't he been taken already and how did he make it to be a senior?' Because typically in today's draft if you're super-talented, you go before that," Vandeweghe said. "Economically, you can't afford to stay (in college), which I understand. I don't know, I think in some guys cases it works to their favor. It helps them in their career. I think the pro scouts are savvy enough to understand talent and where guys fit in."
Allen and Emmett believe they will fit in somewhere at the next level. Both held their own against Kansas and Kirk Hinrich, the Chicago Bulls' lottery pick last season who had a solid rookie campaign after four years in the Big 12.
"He had a great rookie season, and I think that has a lot to do with him being in a great system under a great coach," Emmett said. "And just going through things a lot of people don't go through, like graduating from school."
Emmett thought about entering the draft after his junior season, but his mother wouldn't let him leave Lubbock before getting his business management degree. Allen, like most Cowboys, wanted to soak up as much Stillwater hoops knowledge as he could.
"I needed all the college experience I had," Allen said. "Good coaching. Eddie Sutton was just like a mentor to me and he taught me a lot. Without that I don't think I'd be half the player I am now."
http://www.dailycamera.com
