HogsFan1188

As an Arkansas fan I was ready to see how quickly this guy could turn the programs fate around only to find out he was gonna make the jump. I have yet to really watch him play this year (except in the Grizzlies games).

So lately I have been wondering, how has he been playing through the season, how has he progressed, and do you think it was a wise choice for him to not at least go to college for a year?

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Grizzlies Playoffs: 0-8

Ar-kansas is better than your Kansas.

BackwoodsBum

Big Al has shown that he has the offensive moves to be a force in the NBA for years to come but he's a little less fundamentally sound defensively. Would a year or two of college helped that? Probably, but who knows??? Mentally he's pretty advanced for someone with his age and experience. He won't back down from anyone and feels he can score at will regardless of who is defending him. He's also a good rebounder and has a surprisingly nice midrange shot.

Personally I think almost all of the players that have made the jump straight from high school to the NBA would have benefited from a year or two in college where they would have gotten a taste of what it's like to play against better competition than they faced in high school and if they played under the right coach they probably would be more fundamentally sound. However from the viewpoint of a C's fan I'm sure glad he came out because he would have been a dominant force in the SEC and we would probably not have been in a position to draft him after more teams had seen what he was capable of.

I'm sorry for all the Hogs fans but just between you and me I'm sure glad he didn't end up in Arkansas. I live in Tennessee and I'm a Vandy fan so the thought of my guys having to face him in a Hogs uniform is something I would not have wanted to see. You guys have a good team just about every year and he's the type of player that could have made you the team to beat in the SEC west.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels aren't sucked into jets

agoo101284

I agree with Backwoods in that everyone could benefit from atleast a couple years in college, save the super phenom like LeBron James (and there is just one). Were Jefferson in college, Arkansas would have been a terrific team as this guy would be an absolutely dominant post player. Give him a few years in the pros and he will be a 22-26 ppg guy with 10 rpg and a block or two a night.

What he would have gotten from college is a focus on fundamentals because he didn't need them in high school (though his post fundamentals are amazing). If he went to college, he would have come out a much better passer and defensive player than he is now. However, I think he can learn those skills over the next few seasons and be ready to be an all-star in his third or fouth year.