So, hey, Steven Adams says that NBA Draft Lottery looks good.
After insisting that he would return for his sophomore season at Pitt, Steven Adams is declaring for the NBA Draft and will sign with an agent, thereby forfeiting his final three seasons of eligibility.
The 7-foot center from New Zealand announced his intentions Tuesday night in a statement released by Pitt’s athletic department. A Pitt spokesman said that Adams is out of the country.
“In discussing options with my family and Coach Dixon, I feel that it is in my best interest to declare for the NBA Draft,” Adams said. “I want to thank everyone at Pitt, including my teammates, coaching staff, the administration and the fans who have all supported me over the last year.”
I’ll never, ever begrudge a kid for turning pro. Especially when he is a potential lottery pick. Yes, he could have come back. Potentially improved and been a top-5 pick. Thus upping the potential earning potential. But he is already a top-20 pick. Likely top-14, lottery. This is a weak draft. Especially for centers.
And I will never hold it against a kid just because he said, “sure I’m coming back.” When asked during the season. He got back to New Zealand. Got feedback, pressure. etc. He decided to go pro.
Obviously it’s a big blow for Pitt. We are about to find out just how much Jamie Dixon is willing to adjust what he does to the personnel. Even if they land a JUCO Center he is going to have to play a smaller line-up. One that is much more dependent on the guards, and getting to the rim. And more than anything else, either gang rebounding or finding other ways to play.
These are now very, very interesting times.
That, that does not kill you, only makes you stronger!
I’m in the court of public opinion that feels that this Pitt football team is learning a valuable lesson with the transfer of Rushel Shell. Life lessons often are painful and expensive but leave a lasting impression. This Pitt team will come out better for it in the long run. The King is dead, the King is dead, long live Sir Isaac Bennett. Opportunity knocks, NEXT!
we are f*cked
Seriously, what in the world are you people thinking? Pitt Athletics is an embarrassment now somehow? Sheesh. I should’ve known better than to read the comments section.
Yes Kentucky, Louisville, Cuse and these other schools lose guys all the time but they also go to Final Fours and win national titles… what have we won???
And lets stop giving Dixon kudos for landing Adams. He was a gift dropped in his lap because of some connection to his family. Adams wasn’t recruited by any other school so it’s not like we beat out the competition to get him. Now whne we start landing top recruits over places like Syracuse, Uconn, UNC, Duke, etc.. then JD can get some pats on his back.
I am bummed out however, by Steve Adams leaving after one year. I really believe he needs, at the very least, one more year playing college ball, to develop his offensive game. I realize the money is inticing, but another year would make a difference for him. This is major setback for Pitt basketball.
On the football side of things, I think we’ll be ok. With shell leaving, coming to Pitt may be a more attractive situation for Washington’s McKenzie. He stated that a factor of where he decides to go, will be the opportunity to play right away.
I really thought next year was gonna be our year!
Damn.
Props to Jamie for finding a guy like Adams. We need more 1 and done kids as it is obvious that those who make deep runs into the tourney always have 2-3 NBAL level players. The year we made our deepest run we had two.
Pitt Athletics is doing fine.
ACC
Another NCAA tourney
20+ win season
Promising Football recruiting class
Promising 2014 WPIAL prospects
Dixon here for 10 more year (or so they say)
Chryst back for a second year 🙂
Opening day on National TV against no other than FSU (the team that robbed us of our last legitimate NCAA title in the early 80’s)
I am feeling pretty good right now.
Change happens and Pitt is not immune to it. Opportunity knocking folks so might as well answer the door.
The fact is the pro leagues fall in love with potential. It is always better for guys to leave early before the scouts start picking their games apart.
The strength of our teams as we climbed into national relevance has always been the collective will to win. I always felt that our basketball team would win – down to Duke at MSG, in any Big East game etc…(btw: exact opposite for our football team) that is why the tourny losses have always hurt so much. I always expected them to win. The last couple of years that feeling has diminished and now is gone. We need some stability and a crew of guys committed to each other and to winning.
I think you people are blinded by your hate of Steve Pederson, and give him a lot more credit than he deserves when it comes to his “sabotaging” of our athletic department. I’ll bet if we had unlimited funds for our athletic teams, he would be a great AD. I think it boils down to that more than it does WHO the AD is.
I am perfectly happy with both Dixon and Chryst as our head coaches. You are not, and you are laying that at the feet of Pederson. What coaches are you going to get that are better? Chryst has only been on the job for a year, so noone can even say whether or not he is a success/failure. All Dixon has done is help resurrect and sustain a competetive basketball program for over a decade. That’s not kool-aid. That’s a fact.
Imagine Pitt’s basketball program was in shambles for these past 10 years. (Shouldn’t take much imagination. Just remember the 90’s.) But during that time Dixon was at USC doing exactly what he has been doing at Pitt. Then Pitt manages to hire him away as their head coach here. The fanbase would be ecstatic! Well, guess what. We already have him!
Using phrases, like this oldie but goodie, “you people”, and “haters” etc. etc..
I especially get a kick out of “hater”.
What the hell does that mean?? It used to mean that someone actually hated something or someone.
People started using it a few years ago in politics I believe, and now it has been watered down to basically meaning, someone has a different opinion than their own.
Paul, I do keep a list, in my little red book, right in my breast pocket, but you, are not on it!!! LOL
Enjoy your day!!!
All have D1 FB programs (ND is independent)
Dixon needs to fire someone from his staff and get a recruiter. Then again… he has a 10 year contract – he probably knows Pitt will never be able to buy him out – so he’s basically set for life.
It’s us fans who will suffer. Oh well…
Excited about Young and Newkirk by all accounts polished freshmen who should work into rotation early. Concerned about front court and lack of depth. Dixon needs to find a 6 yr sr or JUCO to fill out the front court. Any good candidates come to mind?
Oh yea, the women’s BB team also made it to the Sweet 16.
I just saw that Rutgers fired Mike Rice. We all knew that was coming.
Also, I never see you bashing people in general, that’s why I wanted to say that to you immediately.
I was referring to a few who come on and defend Pitt no matter what. You can’t even give an opinion on anything without them challenging you and your allegiance to Pitt for your opinion on different subjects. “If you question Pitt, you hate Pitt”.
No problems!!
My beef with Pederson is with Pitt script, and a lack of a plan for a 40K or so on campus stadium.
The Pete is great, no problem there. Permanently being in a Pro stadium??? Hasn’t worked anywhere.
Should have had something else up his sleeve for the long run.
Also, I cringe when I see him getting credit for moving us to the ACC.
My 4 year old niece would have known to say yes to that offer when it came.
Woodall, arguably the worst player on the team played by 32 per minutes per took the most shots but only average 11.8 pts only 4 points more than Adams playing 10 minutes more and toaking 100 more shots. (consider if Dixon was a good coach he would of sat Woodall out the entire 2nd half in the W.S. game/10 less points just on turnovers and who knows how many points given to W.S. on his numerous shots that led to ast breaks/6’9″ center playing Adams could not guard him but Pitt kept shooting from the pro 3 point line further Adams would of fouled out his man who ended up leading the team in scoring. Another coach would have beat W.S. and another coach would have used his best player.)
Money yes but Adams and his handlers are no fools under Dixon Adams would not be the focal point of the offense. Further any who still think Adams offensive skills are raw compared to other big men check out video’s of Addidas summer camap and Prep game against Noels that were played unDixon style more NBA style.
If I was Young I would attempt to get a release. Like Taylor Dixon will make him play center, Zanna cannot do it, and all the work he has put into imrpving his ball handling and outside shooting will be wasted by Dixon. He will not play 2 forwards or adapt system to personnel that is why we may have seen our last NCAA.
Without a long basketball tradition like Syracuse, Conneticut, etc., we cannot afford 2 non tournament years out of 3 the program will collapse. Dixon has proven he cannot recruit and part of it is because skilled players do not want to play for him.
Regardless of the coast after next years 12 and 19 season he needs to be released.
it was late when i found it did not write it down
shai mckenzie said this not the exact words
but you will get the point at first he thought it
would be good with shell leaveing he would be the main back if he came here.
but then he thought abought it and he said if shellis leaveing then something is wrong at pitt
it makes him worry he does not like what is going on he said something like that like i said i did not write it down.
Chryst couldn’t even hold on to a 5 star local legacy with family ties to Pittsburgh. He must be developing real close relationships with all the local coaches and talent now? What a joke.
It all started with getting rid of Wannstadt without a real planned replacement.
Keep talking Pittisit. Maybe we can get Dixon to take the job at Rutgers, and we get Rice.
Give me a name of a coach we can get better than Dixon?
what we need to is change what we can we need
new asst coachs we need some who can recruit
we need more and better players.
but dixon is here we need to live with that.
100% correct. Pitt and Dixon will be married for a long time. Dixon needs to hire some talented assistant coaches who can recruit better talent. With better talent, his system can be successful.
If I am Craig Coleman, AD at Robert Morris, I am praying that there aren’t any videos lying around of Rice’s practices at Bobby Mo….Maybe he should call G. Gordon Liddy to help get rid of them, that’s a reference for all you “old guys”.
Agreed.
how do we get dixon to bring back slice barry
rohrssen and his NY pipe line to players
or some outher good recruiter.
you cant just walk up to him and say hire better
asst.
and while that is what could be changed there is
no way to make it happen and that is the problem
larod stephens howling is talking with the
steelers today.
maybe we will have a ex panther on the steelers
Hard to recruit and develop a team around those parameters.
Some of you guys have short/selective memories and little to no patience:
This is Syracuse’s first Final Four since 2003.
This is Syracuse’s second Elite Eight since 2003.
Before these two in a row, Louisville hadn’t been to a Final Four since 2005.
Louisville has been bounced from the tourney in the first round 3 times since Dixon took over.
Duke’s had 1 Final Four since 2004 (granted they won it all).
Duke has 3 Elite Eights since 2001 (Translated, Duke failed to make the Elite Eight 10 times in the past 13 years)
Duke got bounced in the first round last year.
THIS IS MICHIGAN’S FIRST SWEET 16 – FINAL FOUR SINCE 1994.
THIS IS MICHIGAN’S 4th TOURNEY APPEARANCE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS.
Wichita State has 6 tourney appearances since 1980. 4 first round bounces, 1 Final Four.
Do we want more? Surely. Who doesn’t? Are we all frustrated? Good reason to be. With Dixon’s crappy recruiting, awful system, I’m not sure I’d trade our past 10 years for any of those other past 10 years (Duke’s NC notwithstanding). How about a little perspective/reality mixed in once in a while?
This means not making the tournament 2 out of 3 years and a very rough start in a new league, which will hurt recruiting.
None of us with any brains ever thought Pitt should go after one-and-dones, and I actually didn’t realize Adams was one. One-and-dones, besides the Kentucky versions (Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist) are generally just not worth the trouble. (The only time it could be is if the kid is so good that he can jump into a starring role right away…)
Dixon must have had a very good idea that Adams was short term. Being familiar with the family situation must have had this predictable.
Which shows bad judgement, because this just prevented him from recruiting and developing other big men.
It only takes a few bad choices to torpedo a program. I thought Dixon has already used up his allotment on guards, but now we’ve added Birch and Adams to the list.
And I was already checking into where Greensboro was in preparation for the ACC tournament next year. Scrap those plans……
I agree with you 1000%.
I think many Pitt fans take the basketball program’s success for granted. I’d be lying if I were to say that I wasn’t slightly disappointed in Pitt’s lack of postseason success. But I think it’s important to remember how far this program has come in the last decade. I grew up during the Jason Maile/Jaime Peterson era when I would never have even dreamed of Pitt making the Tourney, let alone the Sweet 16/Elite 8.
I still think this program’s best days are still ahead of it.
Adams is a loss but the kid had a chance to help his family and decided to take the big payday and that will hurt the team. agreed
Trey Ziegler … this isn’t a loss at all. I’m sure many of our current players can drive into the lane out of control and turn the ball over anytime that type of play is needed.
Shell, we had him last year and how did that turn out? Reports are that he’s a cancer and ridding yourself of cancer never hurt anyone.
Things happen and we have good people in the coaching positions. They will right the ship and this time next year all of this will be forgotten.
That means his money drops big time. It also means the CBA doesn’t protect him long.
I have also heard and read that NBA GM’s think he is making a mistake. I obviously am not an NBA GM, but I have to wonder how much better he will get by not playing and not practicing?
He is going to make money this is true, but nowhere near as much as to make this decision a no brainer.
He is far behind where Chris Taft was and nowhere near as basketball experienced.
Who knows? Not this humble author.
Seriously though, Adams was projected to be a 1st round pick BEFORE he came to Pitt. Now he’s still projected to be a late 1st round pick. What did folks want Jamie to do? Stand in front of the door and hold Adams hostage? He is a grown man and has to do what is best for himself and his family.
I love how ppl use Ralph Willard constantly to boost Dixon. As I posted on here before, Willard wasn’t scheduling 12 rent-a-wins to make his record appear great. If those rent-a-wins excite ppl and float your boat. So be it.
From what I see, lots of season ticket holders are no shows for the non-con. Like at least 20-25% of them.
People are starting to see thru the Illusion.
24-9 sounds impressive, but it was really 12-9 and 4-8 against the Top 50.
Also this notion of comparing us to L-Ville, Kentucky, UNC and others who lose one & dones is pretty much nonsensical. Those schools routinely recruit 3 to 4 highly rated (4 &5 star) players EVERY Year. Pitt meanwhile has almost entire recruiting classes that are wiped out by transfers/leavings/whatever and players who just aren’t very good. Whereas those elite programs just reload because they can recruit great, Pitt must scramble just to find some recruits to fill out the class. Comparing Pitt to those programs and their one & dones is ludicrous.
And while the apologists will say, losing Zeigler is no big deal, it is. He was in the system for a year and surely would have been better next year and showed to some extent when he got 20 minutes of playing time he could score as he scored 18 points and led the team in scoring one game in mid Jan and then had 13 points in a game the next week.
At the least he would have provided some depth and experience off the bench and gave you some length at 6’5″ at the 2 Guard.
At the most he could have developed into the starter at 2 guard and perhaps avg’d 10-15 ppg.
And I have a feeling next year’s bball team is really going to struggle to score points. Especially in Dixon halfcourt snailball.
Heck Zeigler might have been next year’s leading scorer.
Yes I do not think Dixon is a good floor coach.
Villanova, why guard the ball on the take out rather than using 5 players to defend 4 (double team Reyonlds.
Butler tie with one secons. At least call time out and tell players not to reach in on any missed shot if you are not going to take them off foul line.
Read NBA scouts reports on Adams they agree with me “he only plaayed 23 minutes per game that hurt his development of offensivive game>”
Of course I would rather have the ball in Woodall’s hands.
Like Dotisch replies to blog’s saying Adams did not live up to expectations, “you do not know anything about basketball.”
Next year’s team is still more talented than any Howlad Pitt team. And is certainly more talented than a couple Dixon Pitt teams that did well in Big East and made the tournament.