A Grip on Sports: For the second consecutive year, Gonzaga’s Petrusev explores his professional options
A GRIP ON SPORTS • A couple of stories in today’s Spokesman-Review sports section caught my eye. We have some thoughts. That’s our job. Well, have them and then share them. Pretty simple really.
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• The job, not the thoughts. Though, I guess one could make the argument the thoughts are simple too.
The deadline passed yesterday for college players to declare for the NBA Draft. Three Zags took advantage, announcing their intentions in the week leading up to the deadline. And all three, Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi and Filip Petrusev, seemed to indicate they were leaning toward returning to school.
All of this makes sense. None of them are being talked about as a first-round pick, which would be the golden ticket and too good to pass up. None are so old as to be in any hurry to get started on their pro career. And all of them seem to enjoy – OK, tolerate in some cases – being in school.
The trio is taking advantage of the most player-friendly rule change the NCAA has offered in a while. There really is no penalty for putting your name in the draft pool. Heck, though none of the Zags are taking advantage of this option, players can even sign with an NCAA-approved agent and have representation through the process. Just make your decision by a certain date (June 3) and you can return to your college program. Last year 233 players, including Petrusev and Washington State’s CJ Elleby, took this option. It makes sense.
The NBA shares its evaluation of your talent, what needs to be improved and where you might fall if you stay in its draft. For these players, the more information, the better.
Kispert and Ayayi appear to be locks to return. They have availed themselves of this opportunity, seemingly, as part of their developmental process. They could easily help their draft status for next year if (or when) the Zags make a run at the national title. Playing the best, and shining while doing it, certainly can’t hurt.
Petrusev is another story, however. The 6-foot-11 post had an exceptional year, especially in the steps he took from his freshman season. He scored, he rebounded, he ran the court and he became a better rim protector. All of which helped his draft status. But he never exhibited one thing NBA bigs need to exhibit these days – the ability to stretch the court.
Petrusev took 11 3-pointers last season. He made two. It’s an area that needs improvement if he wants to play in the world’s best league. A good example of a giant like Petrusev improving that area and becoming an NBA standout is Aron Baynes. The Australian big man never exhibited an ability to stretch the court while he was in Pullman, but spent years overseas improving that aspect of his game. Now he’s entrenched in the league.
Will Petrusev have to follow that example? Or would it serve him better to return to Gonzaga and showcase an improved long-range shooting touch?
Maybe. The problem is the Zags’ front line should be loaded next season. Besides Petrusev, sophomore-to-be Drew Timme showed he’s ready to contribute in a big way. Anton Watson, whose freshman season was shut down due to injury just 15 games in, will return and take a lot of minutes, whether at the 4 or 3 spots. Oumar Ballo, the 6-10, 260-pound post who sat his freshman year getting his academic house in order, will lend a physical element. The 6-11 Pavel Zakharov has potential but, if Petrusev returns, could be a candidate for a Kelly Olynyk-type redshirt season.
This past season Petrusev was the inside option. Next season he may not be. That could be good, if he shows he can stretch the floor while Timme or Ballo occupy the paint. Or it could be a detriment to Petrusev’s future prospects if his minutes decrease.
Such are the elements of the “should-I-stay-or-go” equation each player has to figure out. One nice thing about it, though. There is more than a month before a decision has to be made. That’s plenty of time to solve for X.
• Jim Meehan has another story in this morning’s paper. It has to do with Idaho’s golf courses turning back Washington residents. Yep, if you live 100 yards west of the state line, you can’t play a round on the still-open courses. Your neighbor to the east can, however.
I get the logic, sort of. The idea of Idaho governor Brad Little’s order is to limit intermixing of folks from different areas. It is one way to limit spreading the coronavirus. There is one big flaw, however. The virus’ spread isn’t limited by some arbitrary border. And it doesn’t just travel east-west. It can be spread by people going north-south too.
Yes, it’s a good idea to keep someone from, say, Reardan from traveling to Post Falls to play golf. You wouldn’t want them bringing the virus along with them, endangering their Idaho counterparts. Or taking it back to their small town. But what about someone from Sandpoint or Troy? They are still allowed to play. The spread could happen that way as well.
If the idea behind the ruling is to limit the spread of the virus, and that would be commendable, then limit the travel parameters for everyone. A person who lives in Newman Lake is closer to the Links, say, than someone from Wallace. But because of a line on a map, they are treated differently. And, in this case at least, it seems irresponsible to make that distinction.
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Gonzaga: If all three Zags who are being evaluated by the NBA return, GU will be among the top three when college hoops return. It could easily be No. 1 – and is in some rankings already. Jim has this story of Petrusev’s announcement.
WSU: The Cougars added a couple of women’s basketball recruits. Those signings anchor our weekly local briefs. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, this year’s NFL Draft is over. It was a big hit, if TV ratings are any indication. Which means everyone should start thinking about next year’s draft already, right? Jon Wilner has a list prepared. If you are looking toward a Washington State candidate who may go high, I would offer Abe Lucas. He would have to declare, of course, but the tackle certainly has the tools to become a longtime NFL player. … Utah’s extraordinary number of players picked in the draft has deep roots. … No one has had more players picked over the years than USC. Unless, maybe, it’s Notre Dame. … Arizona’s Khalil Tate was one of the best quarterbacks in the conference just a couple years ago. Yesterday, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles. As a receiver. … In basketball news, Colorado is losing a homegrown player.
Idaho: Watching Kaden Ellis play for the Vandals a couple of years ago, it was obvious he had more physical ability than anyone else on the team’s defense. And that ability was obvious to the New Orleans Saints as well.
Golf: As we mentioned above, if you live in Washington and want to play at the open Idaho courses, a phony I.D. may be the only way to make that happen. Though we would never recommend such an action.
Seahawks: No one thought the Hawks would enter training camp with the two-dozen or so offensive lineman they had on their roster. And they won’t. Two starters, center Justin Britt (coming off an injury) and guard D.J. Fluker, were released yesterday. The moves clear cap space. Is there a target for that money?… The Hawks did pick up a steal in the draft.
Mariners: Babe Ruth was a fluke of nature who changed baseball as we know it. Our Charles Apple takes a look at his career in this Further Review page.
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• Spring is here. We’re finally ready. The tomatoes are in the pots, ready to be loving tended for the next three-to-six months. We give them water, fertilizer and attention. They give us the best accouterments possible for sandwiches, sauce and, on some nights, the main course. Fresh tomatoes are good enough that with a bit of pepper and a pinch of salt, they are fine as a side dish. But that’s for down the road. Right now we have to nurture them through the baby phase and hope they survive. Until later …