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By Aran
Smith
5/9/08
Chinese Star's Career Likely Over
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Xu
Yong |
Reports out
of China say that 19-year-old
Xu Yong, the top NBA prospect since Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian
has been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer that
is extremely dangerous and if confirmed will likely end his basketball
career and even worse could potentially end his life.
Xu's left leg was checked in April of 2008 and the diagnosis was
made that he likely had the disease. Most alarming is that a percentage
of those diagnosed with the disease do not live past 5 years.
The news has
yet to be confirmed by Xu or his team, but numerous reports including
this
one have been published in China and the Chinese basketball
community at large is already mourning the loss of their next top
prospect.
In a scouting
trip to Shanghai in 2005, the athletic 6-7 small forward from Shanghai
showed NBA potential, with a Grant Hill type of game, winning MVP
of the adidas superstar camp.
The news has sent shockwaves through the Chinese basketball community
as Xu was seen as the next potential NBA talent out of China. And
while there's a chance that he can play the game again, the disease
is expected to diminish his abilities.
As tragic as
losing a basketball career might be, news like this puts everything
in perspective that a sports career only means so much when an individual's
life is at stake.
Omri
Casspi Remains a Hot Name
Although Maccabi
Tel Aviv forward Omri
Casspi didn't wow scouts in last week's European Final Four,
he is a player that a number of scouts feel will find a spot in
the late first round area in this year's draft.
In Madrid during
the final four he was, to borrow an Italian expression used by Tim
Shea "ne pesce ne carne" (neither fish nor meat) meaning
not bad and not great, a little of both. He played in limited time
in Maccabi's semifinal win over Sienna, but had a nice start to
the championship game reeling off a quick 7 points early, fighting
for some scores around the basket.
Late in
the Final his weakness, a lack of an outside shot, was exposed as
he passed up an open jumper in a crucial situation, but in fairness
shooting is not his role with the team. Maccabi lost the game as
Casspi finished the game with 9 points on a solid 3-6 from the field.
Shea said he likes Casspi's potential saying, "He is an excellent
transition and in the mix player. He's a quick jumper and has a
little Matrix in him and plays with cojones".
A number of
teams in the late first round are high on the fiery young Israeli
player as he is thought to be a perfect candidate to draft and leave
over in Europe for a few seasons to "marinate". Casspi
has until
June 16th to pull his name out of the draft.
Darren Collison's Return a Mistake?
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Darren
Collison
Icon SMI |
Prior to the
NCAA tournament, UCLA junior guard Darren
Collison was all but set to turn pro, following in the footsteps
of LA Lakers point guard Jordan Farmar who left after just two seasons
in Westwood to become a first round pick.
But after a dreadful NCAA tournament in which he was thoroughly
dominated by Derrick Rose (2 pts), and fouled out against Texas
A&M (4 pts) Collison pulled a 180, apparently swayed by advice
he received from the UCLA coaching staff.
Collison was seen by scouts as a likely first rounder with a shot
to go 20th to the Denver Nuggets, a team in need of a point guard,
and though he wasn't a lock to get into the first round, his chances
were very good.
After an excellent junior year in which he benefited from a quality
supporting cast, Collison averaged 14.5 ppg on 48% from the floor,
87% from the line and 53% from 3.
Most surprising was his decision not to at least extend his decision
and work out for teams to see where he stood. As a junior he could
test the draft process and see where he stood before making a final
decision whether to withdraw his name. The process can be a positive,
especially for a junior to hear what scouts think they need to work
on.
Returning to school can be just as big of a gamble as he will be
submitted to yet another year of scrutiny and nitpicking by NBA
scouts, and if his game levels off, the intrigue around him is sure
to subside.
UCLA also has three NBA level point guard prospects coming into
Westwood, (Jrue
Holiday,
Malcolm
Lee
and Jerime
Anderson)
and while Collison will be given seniority, there's no question
the freshmen will push him for playing time.
With a slight frame, Collison will focus on adding weight and staying
healthy in his senior season, but could struggle to do both. There's
something to be said for striking while the iron is hot. Was retuning
to school a mistake? Only time will tell.
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