Jalen has officially entered the NBA Draft
 

and will not use his extra year

https://www.instagram.com/p/COdnUkZJ..._web_copy_link

Good Luck Clutch!!!! Thank you #10!!!!

It will be interesting to see if anyone asks him about the timing of his announcement.
The 2nd day of exam week? 5 days before graduation?
Was he really on the fence this long or waiting for feedback?

This was a guy who put his name in the NBA draft last year with high hopes of being a draft pick this season. He had big complicated decisions to make. Does he come back to UD one more time, put his name in the portal and try to play one season with a different program, put his name back in the NBA draft or go overseas. Putting his name in the portal would've wasted everyone's time if he ultimately decided to go pro.

I think he puts his name in the NBA draft to be honest just to get a feel as to where he stands and get advice as to his best path to get there eventually.

edited: I just saw in DDN article that indeed he is entering the NBA draft which I've expected all along.

Good luck Clutch, thanks for the memories and representing UD in a continual positive light. I hope your Professional dreams exceed even your own expectations.

Good luck!

Did he hire an agent?

SLU Billikens are probably happy with this announcemrnt.

The Instagram link in post #1 says that he is going to hire an agent.

Glad that he will be ending his college career as a Flyer

He hired the same agent as Ja Morant.

Good Luck Jalen! Time to represent!

A better way to say that might be: glad that he will be ending his college career having only been a Flyer. The other way could almost be interpreted as “good riddance”, when I’m sure the sentiment is more, “Thank you for ONLY being a Flyer!”
Posted via Mobile Device

https://twitter.com/DaytonMBB/status...233772544?s=20

Jalen being interviewed at the Indiana Pacers camp….

Bones Hyland (VCU) taken as number 26 by Denver Nuggets.
Posted via Mobile Device

Luka Garza from Iowa all the way down at #52.

As expected, there were several “Jalen’s” selected but not Jalen Crutcher in the NBA draft 2021.
Posted via Mobile Device

Crutch will have several opportunities to make a roster.
Posted via Mobile Device

Ready Action: Yes, if I am reading correctly, there are 3 potentials:
1) two way contract (spending time between G league and NBA team)
2) free agent contract (one year guaranteed deal)
3) exhibit 10 contract (one year deal at minimum salary plus bonus)
Posted via Mobile Device

Our old pal, McKinley Wright, went undrafted but is headed to Minnesota on a two-way contract. We should hear where Jalen is headed here soon.

Still surprised at Garza at #52.

Consensus national college player of the year (2021)
2× Sporting News College Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
2× Consensus first-team All-American (2020, 2021)
2× Pete Newell Big Man Award (2020, 2021)
2× Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (2020, 2021)
2× Big Ten Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
2× First-team All-Big Ten (2020, 2021)

All those awards, and he almost was not even drafted.

He is not as mobile as Obi. Does not put the ball on the floor as well as Obi.

Fair enough, but he is such a highly-decorated player, and only #52? Not even first round?

Not an NBA fan?

The NBA is rapidly moving away from traditional centers. Offenses find ways to get them switched onto quicker players and exploit their lack of agility over and over and over (especially in the playoffs).

For all his talent, Garza has next to no chance in the NBA. Best case scenario, he's a backup that plays 10 mpg during the regular season (he's unplayable in the playoffs). Word is he has lost a bunch of weight since the end of March Madness, and he does have a pretty good looking shoot, but again the lack of foot speed means his chances in the league are pretty slim.

Oddly enough, Obi, for all his grace, leaping ability and straight-line speed, is really hampered in the NBA by a lack of side-to-side mobility. He's rigid and can be beaten off the dribble. To my mind, he might be best served by adding some weight and trying to become a small-ball 5. (Or get traded away from Thibs and his veteran obsession).

Crutcher's probably a long-shot as well. His shot might be NBA quality, but beyond that he's got a ways to go. Brian Roberts had a nice little NBA career, so it could certainly happen, but I'd think some European seasoning might be in order.

Definitely shocking on the surface but with the way the NBA game has changed you have to have elite skills either athletically, defensively or shot-blocking. He's not a good jumper and not fast. No such thing as a post up game anymore. It's all kick-outs, pick and pop, pick and roll or spot shooting for the BIGS.

Agree, he averaged 24 and 9 in the Big Ten this year and barely got drafted.

What about rebounding? Is there room for a good rebounder?

Crutcher and Watson sign NBA contracts for summer league action.


https://www.daytondailynews.com/spor...KANNKWJXNDA64/

Momszer: Thank you for sharing this information. I see, in the article, that Crutcher is getting a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2017 / 18, Crutcher played with Kostas Antetokounmpo. Maybe it is no surprise that it is the Bucks that give Crutcher a chance at the NBA; since Giannis and Thanasis both play in Milwaukee.
Posted via Mobile Device

After seeing some of the guys that got drafted in the 2nd and some of the free agent signings, I really think Jalen has a solid chance. You cannot teach that kind of elite range.

Take Ayo for example. Would you take him over Crutcher if you were starting a team right now? I'm not saying Crutcher will make it and Ayo won't. I just think he offers something a lot of the guys do not, despite his size.

Ibi to his credit has the size and sneaky athleticism. And is probably a better pure shooter than Jalen (but without the elite range). My main complaint with Ibi is his ball handling especially in high pressure/late clock situations, but one might ask why the hell his coaches and teammates put him in that situation.

As long as Dayton gets an NBA team and that team plays at UD Arena Ibi will be a good NBA player.

Good luck to Jalen and Ibi, time to grind.

Never quite got the Garza hype. Every time I watched Iowa he looked slow. Relative to the NBA where everybody is big and fast, he would not present matchup issues and is a defensive liability.

This is true. I believe Ibi entered the draft for the sole reason to puff his resume for overseas basketball. He has nothing that says NBA going for him. He can't handle the ball, hmm, yeah, college guards that can't ball handle aren't in high demand in the NBA. He didn't break into a starting lineup until his 5th year in college.

Jalen Crutcher was our best player. I think everybody can agree with that. I can't fathom a team having two future NBA players graduating that finishes 14-10 and 9-7 in the A10 with a loss at Fordham(and other ridiculous losses).

Ibi is pretty good putting in 3s and driving to the basket periodically, a decent player to have on your college team. Far from NBA potential. Heck, if I stood Junior Jordan Sibert and 5th year senior Ibi Watson in front of you and asked you to choose who you'd like on the Dayton Flyers for 2021-2022, which would anyone pick? And let me remind everybody that Sibert played a total of 4 minutes in his NBA career
Crutcher is a long shot to get there, Ibi has no chance whatsoever. And I suggest all Smitty10 haters bookmark this post and come back and rub my nose in it if he does. I won't lose sleep worrying about it.

No, I am not really a NBA fan, it just feels artificially constrained with the defensive rules: no/limited double teaming or trapping/pressing. There should not be any restrictions at all.

I also think if the defensive limits were eliminated, they could make the shot clock longer, leading to more interesting offensive approaches and an overall more interesting game.

And also, traveling and palming the ball are not always whistled, and stars get preferential treatment.

The artificial constraints make it less entertaining to watch, it is boring watching a guy score 50 points if the opposition is not allowed to vary their approach in an effort to stop him.

Some/a lot of players in the NBA are unguardable in a 1 on 1 situation IMO, they are that good.

24 and 9 this year, there had to be something there, those are great numbers, just sayin'. I can't think of any recent player to average 24 and 9.

But, the criticisms of his game seem valid I guess. But if he was so slow, then how did he average 24 and 9? Doesn't make sense, he was just unstoppable in college I guess, that unstopability will not happen in the NBA I guess. Maybe Iowa plays fast too, pumping up his numbers.

I looked at Jimmer Fredette's senior year at BYU, 29ppg...and he never averaged more than 8ppg and 19 minutes per game in the NBA...big college numbers do not always translate to the NBA.

He could easily score 10 ppg in the NBA. I don't think anyone believes that's a problem at all. Probably 6-8 rebounds too.

But 50% of the time he's going to end up guarding someone 6'6" and lightning quick with no help defense. Every single trip down the floor until the other team just gets bored of scoring on him.

Who knows maybe it'll turn out ok for him. Looks like a plodder to me. Difference from the Big10 to the NBA is that they'll all be his size but will be twice as quick. I don't think whatever he can bring offensively will make up for how much he'll be exposed on defense. Time will tell.

???
 

So we're talking Jalen Crutcher, right?
:D

________________________
You want a toe? I can get you a toe! I can get you a toe by three o'clock!
Walter Sobchak - The Big Lebowski

Congrats #10!!

Charlotte Hornets @hornets
1h

OFFICIAL: We have signed Jalen Crutcher and Cameron McGriff.

��: https://on.nba.com/3lrdO7P


More than likely will play on their G-League Team I would think, still awesome!

Very cool as he will continue to have ample opportunities to show he belongs in the league.
Posted via Mobile Device

I just went out on the web and looked up the Charlotte Hornets roster. It is great to see Jalen Crutcher’s name on the roster.
Posted via Mobile Device

And to add whip cream to that Crutcher drink, "The Atlanta Hawks announced the signing of former Dayton Flyers guard Ibi Watson on Tuesday."

Per jack72 comment, I checked the Atlanta Hawks roster. Why is Ibi listed as Ibi Watson-Boye on NBA.com. Is that a correct last name? It is not listed in that fashion on other web sites.
Posted via Mobile Device

I looked at it too. I found it interesting that 7 of the 19 other guys on the roster are actually younger than Jalen.

His full name is listed under the personal section with that last name.

https://daytonflyers.com/sports/mens...i-watson/10854

Jalen is listed in the Charlotte box score for tonight's game vs. the Mavs:

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401365939

Whether he plays or not is another matter.

Charlotte got blasted by Dallas and by blasted I mean by 68 points,127-59 which afforded Jalen the opportunity to get some PT. Wearing # 7 he played the entire 4Q, scoring 3 points on 1-4 shooting, with 1 assist, 1 rebound and 1 TO.

He was minus18 in just 12 minutes. Yikes. And he was nowhere near the worst tonight (two players were -39!) but still an inauspicious start for his NBA career.
Posted via Mobile Device

Inauspicious start to Charlotte's season for sure, but perhaps a blessing for mister Crutcher.

https://swarmandsting.com/2022/03/25...alen-crutcher/

"I believe Crutcher is the next best shooter in the NBA. He’s got that swagger and confidence you want from a shooter. He’s the leader you need on your roster, who makes plays when needed and has the confidence to take the shots that others shy away from. If the Hornets commit to him, they could have a sharpshooter join their squad next season."

Jalen playing for the Charlotte Hornets summer league. First game tonight at 6:00pm Eastern on ESPN2. Obi and Jalen have been together much of the summer working out. Expect Obi to be there.

Complete Summer league schedule. Jalen plays in Las Vegas.
https://www.nba.com/news/2022-nba-su...salt-lake-city

Crutch had a nice season last season for the Hornets’ G League team. This season I expect him to get some run during the NBA regular season on someone’s team.
Posted via Mobile Device

Jalen not having a great game thus far. In 23 minutes he is 1-8 from the field, 0-4 from three, with 3 boards, 3 dimes, 1 steal and 2 TOs. Charlotte is down 24 after 3 periods.

Crutch finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal in a 12 point loss.