Mike Burke
Cumberland Times-News
June 21, 2009 12:26 am
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So Greivis Vasquez is returning to Maryland for his senior year, and the Terps have reportedly told top-10 recruit Lance Stephenson they are no longer interested. Plus, the Baltimore Ravens have expressed an interest in obtaining troubled Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall.
Across the board, in the eye of one fan? This rates as excellent, good and interesting news.
First there is Greivis, the son coach Gary Williams finally has. Both his interest in his NBA stock and his eventual decision to return to College Park are excellent developments for Maryland. In attending the various workouts with NBA teams, the senior guard was able to measure his game against the top college players out there, which can never be a bad thing, finding out what his strengths and weaknesses truly are.
Whether he was surprised or not, what Vasquez found is he has just enough assets and shortcomings to be a second-round pick which means nothing would be guaranteed money-wise should he A.) be cut in training camp or even B.) make a team and begin his life as an NBA journeyman.
Who’s to say, since one never knows with Greivis — at times a.k.a. Grievous. You can never underestimate him, because he has the heart and the determination of a lion — or a certain excitable ACC coach with pores the size of dimes. That’s the lure of Vasquez. Maybe he makes a team as a second-rounder and maybe he goes on to become a very good and very wealthy NBA player right away. Hey, as much as you loved him, did you really believe Steve Blake would be having the career he’s having? Sure you did.
At the same time, neither can you ever overestimate Greivis Vasquez because you say he’s so combustible, so erratic and too shoot-first happy for a point guard to be. Well, it’s a good thing he was in one of the greatest victories in Maryland history, scoring the Terps’ first 16 points against North Carolina. But then for a guy who supposedly doesn’t like to give up the ball, it was Vasquez finding open teammates because he was being double and triple-teamed.
Sure his shot needs work, and it’s true he can drive you up the wall with some of his decisions and turnovers, but bottom line is Vasquez was the best player on a 21-14 second-round NCAA tournament team, leading the Terps in scoring, rebounding and assists. I’ll take my chances with a guy like that coming back to a team that returns every player but Dave Neal, and who is adding two badly-needed bluechippers in the post.
And remember, as feel-good as last season was and remains, the Terps were a scoring-challenged team for much of the year. Even though he says he was prepared for his boy to leave, Gary Williams sleeps better these days knowing his top scorer will be back for a season that should begin with Maryland ranked in or around the top 25.
Which brings us to New York guard Lance Stephenson, a.k.a. “Born Ready.” Nobody can deny Stephenson’s talent, but something just doesn’t seem right here. I mean, how can one of the top 10 high school basketball players still not be committed to a school? Well, according to the Baltimore Sun, besides his past run-ins with the law and with his head coaches, Maryland is wary in part because of an Internet reality series called “Born Ready” that follows “the life and pursuit of basketball glory by high school phenom Lance Stephenson." Maryland is not alone in wondering if the NCAA may question an athlete’s involvement with such a site.
If Maryland has in fact stopped its pursuit of Stephenson, this is likely the prudent way to go. Too many people have worked too hard to get the Terps back to this point. A college basketball program is a fragile thing and there’s a very fine line between keeping the ship sailing or having it drydock. Maryland has made too much progress to risk the distractions and potential setbacks that could take place during what will likely be Stephenson’s only season of college basketball.
Sure, we pointed out here previously that things worked out pretty well with Steve Francis’ one-and-done, but then we were fully aware of who was sending him to play for Maryland.
Too risky. Let “Born Ready” have a ball in Memphis.
Which brings us to the Ravens and their reported interest in Brandon Marshall. Like Stephenson, Marshall comes with baggage — excess baggage in Marshall’s case. Yet I just have this feeling if the Ravens can work out a non-intrusive trade and fit him into the salary cap, Marshall is worth the risk. The guy has caught 226 passes for 2,899 yards and 15 touchdowns in three years, and is gold in the red zone. He’s the kind of receiver the Ravens have never had. And as good as Joe Flacco was last season? Oh, please, Ozzie, get this guy a bonafide playmaker.
Look, I’m always willing to take a chance with somebody else’s money, just not with my school’s basketball program. The vote here is take a chance on Brandon Marshall.
Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Contact Mike Burke at mburke@times-news.com.
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