Dijon Thompson is not stupid. So don’t jump to conclusions
and accuse him of being so.
Having his NBA Draft status evaluated is undeniably an
intelligent move.
Thompson’s announcement doesn’t mean that he is
leaving UCLA. It simply means that unless things go very favorably
for him at the Chicago Pre-Draft camp, he will be back in Westwood
next season.
But regardless of what happens at the camp, this move is good
for UCLA basketball. That’s because there are only a couple
of different scenarios that can play out, with each benefitting the
program in a different way.
Possible Scenario No. 1: Thompson inexplicably wows the NBA
scouts and general managers at the camp. His draft status
skyrockets, he hires an agent, and he officially declares. He is
drafted sometime in the second round, and he goes on to have an
incredibly mediocre NBA career.
Good riddance, we should say.
That’s one more scholarship available, and it’s one
more Steve Lavin holdover that would no longer be a concern for
coach Ben Howland. It would probably be a small sacrifice next year
with even greater benefits in the future. If Thompson is gone,
Arron Afflalo and hopefully Malik Hairston will play more minutes
and adjust more quickly to the demands of the collegiate game.
But then there’s Possible Scenario No. 2: Thompson’s
glaring deficiencies as a basketball player shine at the camp just
as brightly as they have shone here in Westwood. Scouts notice that
he is a poor defender, a mediocre passer and just a generally soft
player. They tell him so, and he returns to UCLA for his senior
season, no harm done.
His return would certainly be good for Bruin fans. The fact is,
Thompson is an awfully talented basketball player. He led UCLA in
scoring last season, and he would be even more valuable to the team
next season when he won’t be expected to be the first scoring
option.
With Thompson, UCLA will have a legitimate chance to make the
NCAA Tournament.
And that’s it. He’s either going to be here next
year because he isn’t good enough to hang in the NBA, or
he’ll be gone because he is.
But Thompson is not stupid. He’s going about this the
right way. He feels like he owes it to himself to at least see
where he stands.
“Right now I’m just going to get feedback from the
NBA and see where I need to better myself,” Thompson
said.
“Depending on what they say, it should be a
no-brainer,” he added. “If they say that I’m not
ready, I’ll come back and prepare myself for next
season.”
Good call.
Thompson’s decision to attend this camp is definitely a
smart move, and athletes deserve credit when they make smart
moves.
Even Howland thinks so.
Howland complimented NBA scouts at the camp for their honesty in
evaluating college players.
“They actually meet with the kids,” Howland said.
“They told Jameer Nelson last year, “˜You need to go
back to school.'”
In case you spent the month of March in a cave, Jameer Nelson
had a pretty darn good season for Saint Joseph’s, and now he
should be a lottery selection in the draft.
Thompson will not be a lottery selection. Ever. But like Nelson,
he is making the right decision in at least seeing where he
stands.
In all likelihood, Thompson will be back in Westwood next
season. He’s simply not ready for the NBA. But the beauty of
this camp is that it should make that fact overwhelmingly clear to
the Bruin junior.
And when he realizes where his game needs improvement, he will
need to sack up and improve. No questions asked.
And unless Thompson really is a soft, whiny baby, he will work
hard and improve. He will help lead UCLA once again to the
tournament.
And if he doesn’t come back?
Well, that’s fine, too.
E-mail Regan at dregan@media.ucla.edu.