NBA’s Loss Is College Hoops’ Gain
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By DERON SNYDER
North Carolina coach Roy Williams, Kentucky coach John Calipari and Ohio State coach Thad Matta owe a debt a gratitude to the NBA. Because without the ongoing labor dispute, the coaches likely would have less star power on their teams, currently ranked first, second and third, respectively.
Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes was projected to be a top three pick, had he entered the draft last summer. Teammates John Henson, a junior, and Tyler Zeller, a senior, would have been first-round selections. The same is true for Kentucky sophomore Terrence Jones and Ohio State sophomore Jared Sullinger.
Barnes, Jones and Sullinger joined UConn’s Jeremy Lamb on the Associated Press preseason All-America team, marking the first time that four sophomores were selected. They’re among other prime-time players who decided that another season on campus was better than gambling on the NBA’s uncertainy.
