Berman: Fans have no right to attack Greene's choice
By Zach Berman
Posted: 4/15/08, 10:18 PM EST Section: Sports
For the past week, Syracuse fans sounded off on Donte Greene's decision to enter his name in the NBA Draft. The reaction has been full of venom. This reaction has been misguided. Greene made a decision that was entirely practical.
You would have thought Greene never hit a jump shot, never helped Syracuse win a game and no NBA team will find him promising. And another year at SU will all of a sudden rectify his problems.
How nice of all these detractors to be looking out for Greene's well being.
In online versions of two news stories from The Daily Orange reporting Greene's decisions, reader comments call the SU star a "cancer," "the most useless recruit in school history" and one who will "be out of the league in three years."
The fans flooding the message boards and posted comments criticizing everything about Greene - from his shot selection to personality to his wardrobe - say this in the guise they care about Greene. They care about Syracuse basketball and view Greene as a means to a better end next season. This is the nature of being a fan. But it's downright insulting to a player like Greene, who scored 17.7 points, grabbed 7.2 rebounds and embraced Syracuse fans at every turn.
Early indications suggest Greene is a surefire first-round pick. He might not be a lottery pick, but no doubt a first-round pick and likely somewhere in the teens. First-round picks receive guaranteed contracts. Based on the fixed rookie salary scale, the 15th pick in June's NBA Draft will make $6,749,300 in his first four years. If he's an absolute bust, he'll make $2,807,7000 in guaranteed money for two seasons before he can come off the books.
With the way the NBA works, the major money is made on the second contract. So even if he takes two or three years to develop - like the Orlando Magic's Rashard Lewis, a player Greene is often compared to - it will be the second contract or even the third contract that will push the money into eight digits.
You would have thought Greene never hit a jump shot, never helped Syracuse win a game and no NBA team will find him promising. And another year at SU will all of a sudden rectify his problems.
How nice of all these detractors to be looking out for Greene's well being.
In online versions of two news stories from The Daily Orange reporting Greene's decisions, reader comments call the SU star a "cancer," "the most useless recruit in school history" and one who will "be out of the league in three years."
The fans flooding the message boards and posted comments criticizing everything about Greene - from his shot selection to personality to his wardrobe - say this in the guise they care about Greene. They care about Syracuse basketball and view Greene as a means to a better end next season. This is the nature of being a fan. But it's downright insulting to a player like Greene, who scored 17.7 points, grabbed 7.2 rebounds and embraced Syracuse fans at every turn.
Early indications suggest Greene is a surefire first-round pick. He might not be a lottery pick, but no doubt a first-round pick and likely somewhere in the teens. First-round picks receive guaranteed contracts. Based on the fixed rookie salary scale, the 15th pick in June's NBA Draft will make $6,749,300 in his first four years. If he's an absolute bust, he'll make $2,807,7000 in guaranteed money for two seasons before he can come off the books.
With the way the NBA works, the major money is made on the second contract. So even if he takes two or three years to develop - like the Orlando Magic's Rashard Lewis, a player Greene is often compared to - it will be the second contract or even the third contract that will push the money into eight digits.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Marc LeVine
posted 4/16/08 @ 10:26 AM EST
Zach Berman. It IS Zach, not Len (Berman)?
Zach... after reading your sorry defense of Greene's decision to leave school, I make the following recommendation to you ---- Stay at Newhouse and finish your college career with the D. (Continued…)
Joe Sveda
posted 4/17/08 @ 6:36 PM EST
I agree with your points, but only to a degree.Looking at his numbers, it would appear he fell off dramatically in the second half of the year.In other words, where was the progress ? If he's in it for the money, then maybe he made the right choice. (Continued…)
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