Kentucky loses and Morris almost immediately signs with the Knicks...this is kind of crazy.

Quote :

"GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Randolph Morris lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and still might get to play in big games in late March. A week after playing in his final college game for Kentucky, Morris went through his first NBA practice Sunday, two days after signing with the New York Knicks. "That's the best situation ever," Knicks guard Stephon Marbury said. "We were talking about that when we were stretching this morning, how he just went right from playing a game into playing in the NBA. That's definitely a unique situation." According to the Knicks, Morris is the first player to go from playing in the NCAA Tournament to being on an NBA roster in the same week. He could even see his first action as early as Monday night, when the Knicks host the Orlando Magic in a huge game for New York's playoff hopes. With New York severely limited by injuries, the 21-year-old Morris might even be thrown into the game against Magic All-Star Dwight Howard, a teammate of Morris' on an AAU championship team from Atlanta in 2003. "Hey, you never know," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "

http://sportsline.com/nba/story/10087199

3/25/2007 2:51:26 PM

its like how baseball works if you're really good

play college world series in summer and MLB by the fall

3/25/2007 2:55:00 PM

I saw this Friday.. Great move by Isiah to get a likely late first rounder basically for free for 2 years.

I can't believe Morris and his agent agreed to it though. That is peanuts compared to what a late first rounder would get unless I read it wrong..

3/25/2007 2:58:57 PM

Pretty cool for both sides. Knicks got this guy for peanuts (considering what they're paying Jeron James to play 3 mpg). Sucks for Kentucky, it's gonna kill their APR for the year since he just dropped out of school. Hope it gives my Knicks a boost to catch that last playoff spot.

a reported 1.6 mil over 2 years.

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 3:00 PM. Reason : haha, beat me to the "peanuts"]

3/25/2007 2:59:02 PM

This is how hockey works, too. Last season, the Hurricanes were hoping Jack Johnson would sign and join the team as soon as Michigan was done. Unfortunately, his dad's a dumbass or the kid would already have his name on the Cup.

3/25/2007 3:01:10 PM

how can you just bypass the draft like that though?

3/25/2007 3:01:19 PM

thats what i was wondering

3/25/2007 3:03:11 PM

He's ineligible for the draft.

3/25/2007 3:03:22 PM

^he entered the '05 draft, but didnt get drafted and didn't sign w/an agent. If you enter the draft and don't get picked, you become a UFA.

3/25/2007 3:03:43 PM

he went undrafted last year and came back to school. had to sit out some games, but was basically a free agent and could have left college at anytime this season.

3/25/2007 3:04:14 PM

ahh.

didnt know the technicalities.


[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 3:05 PM. Reason : e]

3/25/2007 3:05:38 PM

His money works out to this year's 30th pick...last years 26th...I read that on espn.com a few days ago

3/25/2007 3:38:50 PM

aha cedric simmons got drafted before him

3/25/2007 3:40:24 PM

so let me see if i have this right. if you enter the draft but don't sign an agent, you can go back to school?

3/25/2007 4:16:59 PM

Yes.

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 4:20 PM. Reason : you also can't accept crazy gifts or money, though]

3/25/2007 4:19:34 PM

so why don't more people do this?

3/25/2007 4:29:41 PM

People test the waters every year. Most of the time, if they aren't going to get drafted, they realize it and just go back before the draft.

3/25/2007 4:32:14 PM

this is crazy

I am going to try this shit I mean i'm not a super bad ass but pretty good and if i get to play in college and go to the nba why not fuckign try it

3/25/2007 4:13:19 PM

good luck

3/25/2007 4:22:56 PM

^^Yeah but you aint no DJ Strawberry.

3/25/2007 4:23:44 PM

There actually have been some random guys who didn't play basketball in college (except maybe intramurals) but entered the draft.

3/25/2007 4:42:25 PM

how'd it go for them?

3/25/2007 4:48:55 PM

i had a friend who played for a small time division 2 school. before his senior year, the HC was fired, and he didnt want to play for the new one.. so he declared for the draft to kill his eligibility.

hired his roomate as his "agent"

3/25/2007 4:52:02 PM

When guys have declared for the draft before that werent likely to be drafted, its always been mentioned that they have until X date to take themselves out of the draft. If they are still eligible as long as they dont dont accept money/hire an agent, whats the point of this deadline?

Also, Ive never understood how you have guys get drafted in baseball and hockey and then go to school, but then if guys get drafted in football or basketball they are ineligible?

3/25/2007 5:19:39 PM

It's not the draft itself that makes you ineligible; typically you make yourself ineligible by accepting money/gifts/whatever.

3/25/2007 5:26:22 PM