It's all about recruiting the next star: Texas retires Kevin Durant's jersey
...despite the fact that Durant played 1 (one) season in Austin.
That is ONE season.
And the guy gets his jersey retired.
Dean Smith and Coach K have been known to not put up Final Four banners in their home arenas if one player on the team does not graduate, yet the University of Texas has retired Kevin Durant's jersey after just one season and, in 2004, retired TJ Ford's jersey despite the fact that Ford only played two seasons.
That's two (2).
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How cheap has immortality become in today's society when college basketball programs are retiring jerseys for players who come nowhere close to completing their eligibility? I think that UT's athletic director and president should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this obvious play towards the next bigtime recruit to come into head coach Rick Barnes sights: "Hey young man; come play for me, have one or two great seasons, make NBA money, and STILL get your jersey retired!"
That's got to be a big selling point towards recruits: College immortality at nowhere near the normal price of four years and a college education.
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Offhand, the only three seniors I can think of who deserve to have their jersey numbers retired by their respective schools are Davidson's Stephon Curry, UNC's Tyler Hansborough, and Marquette's Jerel McNeal. That with the caveat that all three get their degrees (that should be a requirement for getting your number put up into a school's rafters: actually GRADUATING from that school.)
That is ONE season.
And the guy gets his jersey retired.
Dean Smith and Coach K have been known to not put up Final Four banners in their home arenas if one player on the team does not graduate, yet the University of Texas has retired Kevin Durant's jersey after just one season and, in 2004, retired TJ Ford's jersey despite the fact that Ford only played two seasons.
That's two (2).
-----------------
How cheap has immortality become in today's society when college basketball programs are retiring jerseys for players who come nowhere close to completing their eligibility? I think that UT's athletic director and president should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this obvious play towards the next bigtime recruit to come into head coach Rick Barnes sights: "Hey young man; come play for me, have one or two great seasons, make NBA money, and STILL get your jersey retired!"
That's got to be a big selling point towards recruits: College immortality at nowhere near the normal price of four years and a college education.
-----------------
Offhand, the only three seniors I can think of who deserve to have their jersey numbers retired by their respective schools are Davidson's Stephon Curry, UNC's Tyler Hansborough, and Marquette's Jerel McNeal. That with the caveat that all three get their degrees (that should be a requirement for getting your number put up into a school's rafters: actually GRADUATING from that school.)
posted by joe sweeney at 3:27 AM
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