[gilpdawg]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Two things:

1. With the injury to Noel, I look for the "one and done" rule to be discussed in more depth. One of the main arguments has been a NBA ready player going to college and getting hurt, and it just happened. You can also make the argument that Noel going to college improved his draft stock (which it did), but he likely would have been a lottery pick in last years draft anyways.

I'm also not convinced that it isn't going to have an impact on his draft stock. Chad Ford knocked him down to third, but a NBA team is going to be hard pressed to look at somebody coming back from an ACL injury given 1. the timetable for their return (Derrick Rose comes to mind), and 2. the quality of the player coming back. Da'Sean Butler comes to mind. He was projected to be a first round pick and fell to the second round after tearing his ACL in the Final Four against Duke. He never could make it with a team and is now a grad assistant at WVU.

2. I've read from WMR and others that the season is pretty much over due to Noel's injury. The problem with this years team though has been that none of the players outside of Noel have bought in. Cal has tried everything to get their attention and if this doesn't get it I don't know what will. Losing Noel is going to hurt but if it means Poythress, Goodwin, and Harrow start to play out of their minds and UK can get some production elsewhere I think they can still make the tournament. What happens once they get in is anybody's guess.

He will still be a high pick even if he's not ready for camp. Butler was a fringe prospect. Noel is not.