THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, December 11, 1995 TAG: 9512110116
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines
So far, the unprecedented loss of three talented sophomores to the NBA last spring has not prompted ACC basketball coaches to alter their recruiting strategies. It was business as usual during the recently completed fall signing period, with the ACC landing its share of top prospects.
But if the trend continues, if underclassmen continue going pro earlier and earlier, it could cause some coaches to think twice about pursuing blue-chip players who may not be around long.
``Now that the NBA has a three-year salary cap for incoming rookies, let's see who jumps this year,'' Florida State coach Pat Kennedy said. ``If (Georgia Tech freshman) Stephon Marbury plays one year and goes pro even with the salary restrictions, then we all have got something to be concerned about. We might have to start looking at who we recruit differently.''
Kennedy said some schools might decide it is not worthwhile to devote time and money to signing a prospect who is going to be around only one or two years.
Maryland's Joe Smith and North Carolina's Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse, all sophomores, left school early this year. All were among the top four picks in the NBA draft.
Instead of the $68 million contract that No. 1 draft choice Glenn Robinson received in 1994, top pick Smith was limited to a three-year, $8.5 million deal under the new cap.
Some coaches, like Kennedy, are hopeful the cap will not make it as tempting for a sophomore or junior to leave school early.
``Instead of looking at a $100 million contract, they are looking at less than $9 million,'' Kennedy said. ``That is a big, big difference.''
North Carolina coach Dean Smith, though, contends the three-year cap instead could convince a talented player to leave school early. Smith says Stackhouse and Wallace were better off financially to leave early despite the cap.
``Actually, it is smarter to go early now because of the cap,'' Smith explained. ``If they had waited to graduate with their class, they would have wasted two years in which they could have been under the cap.''
After the first three years, players become unrestricted free agents.
Smith said he would continue to recruit the best players available, even if he faces the possibility of them leaving early.
``There were about 3,000 undergraduate players last season and only about 12 who left early for the pros,'' Smith said. ``I don't see how that small percentage would change the way you recruited.''
It probably won't for UNC, which seems to have an endless line of blue-chip recruits waiting to replace departing superstars. The Tar Heels barely missed a dribble after losing Michael Jordon and James Worthy after their junior years, and Smith brought in a talented trio this season to help offset the loss of Wallace and Stackhouse.
But, Kennedy says North Carolina's nationally respected program is one of only a few that can stand to lose superstars early and remain competitive.
``Not everyone is like Carolina, Kentucky or Indiana, schools that can go out and get another superstar to replace one that goes early,'' Kennedy said. ``Other schools might not (be able to) afford to waste all year recruiting someone who maybe stays one or two years. Every time you go to recruit another quality kid who would stay four years, you are behind the 8-ball.''
Kennedy likes the situation he has with freshman Randell Jackson, a 6-foot-11 center who is starting for the Seminoles but has a ways to go before reaching his potential.
``He is a kid who is going to be with us four years, or maybe three if he turns into another Joe Smith,'' Kennedy said. ``He is going to help us win a lot of games.''
Georgia Tech's Marbury may be another story, though. Even before he arrived at Georgia Tech, there was speculation he might stay only one year and go pro.
It was a chance Cremins was willing to take, and he says he would do it again - even though one newspaper report indicated Georgia Tech spent more than $50,000 recruiting Marbury.
``Can you see a high school All-American coming into my office, saying he wants to come to Georgia Tech, and I say, `No, I can't take you because I think you will leave early?' '' asked Cremins. ``How can you turn down a great player? You just can't do it.''
Still, if Marbury does go early, he will leave the Yellow Jackets without a point guard, and Kennedy says it will be difficult for Cremins to recruit another one this spring.
``How is he going to do it?'' Kennedy asked. ``All another coach has got to say is, `What if Marbury stays down there?' It puts you in a tough position.''
Shaheen Holloway, a 5-10 point guard from Elizabeth, N.J., told Cremins during the fall recruiting period that he wasn't interested in Georgia Tech because he couldn't be sure if Marbury was going to leave early or not. He is also being recruited by Duke, Kentucky and Seton Hall.
Cremins admits he got burned a few years ago when Dennis Scott made an early jump to the pros.
``I learned you have to protect yourself and recruit right behind a player you feel may leave early,'' Cremins said. ``We did that with Kenny Anderson. We knew he might leave early and we recruited right behind him, signing Travis Best. It is hard. It is not easy. But you've got to do it.''
Smith admitted he was amused by Cremins' contention that coaches have to recruit ``right behind'' great players who probably will leave early.
``You don't know which guy is going to be that great player,'' Smith said. ``Maybe Bobby is smarter than I am, and he knows, but I don't know how you can predict that.''
Indeed, three years ago when Duke signed Greg Newton, national recruiting experts said he would be All-ACC by his sophomore year and was a ``certain pro prospect.''
Joe Smith signed with Maryland the same year and the recruiting line about him was he had ``a chance'' to play professionally if he worked hard for four years.
Newton is just now beginning to make an impact at Duke while Smith, after only two years at Maryland, is starting in the NBA. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
JONATHON NEWTON/The Atlantic Journal
The NBA's lure has coaches wondering whether it is worth it to
recruit blue-chip prospects like Georgia Tech's Stephon Marbury.
by CNB