J'Covan Brown Finally Eligible
by GhostofBigRoy on Apr 3, 2009 2:00 PM CDT
47 comments
It's been a long time in coming, but 2008 Longhorn commit, Port Arthur combo guard J'Covan Brown is finally eligible to play basketball at Texas and is expected to enroll in June. Apparently, he will still have a scholarship available, leaving the Longhorns one over the limit if Damion James leaves and two over if he stays. Who will leave the program and how will that conversation go between coach and player?
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So who goes?
My vote would obviously be Hill and Smith, but I don’t think we’ll be that lucky.
by ctex80 on Apr 3, 2009 2:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Smith supposedly stays because he is a good student
According to a comment at Barking Carnival…
by Rickyspub on Apr 3, 2009 2:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Shocked
I am completely shocked. This recruitment has been nothing short of bizarre from the very beginning.
If this is true, and I’m still not sold until I hear it from Rick’s mouth, then we do have a scholarship problem in the fall.
I think James will turn pro due to the weakness in this draft class but that is far from a certainty. As Big Roy mentioned, even if DaMo leaves, we are still one over the limit. Who transfers?
Harrison Smith is unlikely to transfer b/c he has just a single year of eligibiliy left. Matt Hill is a possibility as is Clint Chapman and even Alexis Wangmene or Varez Ward. This will be an interesting off season for UT hoops.
--AW--
by awiggo on Apr 3, 2009 2:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Why would VW™ leave after the show he put on against Duke?
by UT_BKC on Apr 3, 2009 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was thinking the same thing..
…but then I remembered asking…“Why would Mike Williams transfer to Cincy after finally showing up?”
by vy til i die on Apr 3, 2009 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Playing Time
If Brown comes and is eligible in the ball, we would be loaded at the two guard spots—
Point: Lucas, Balbay,
Shooting: Bradley, Mason, Ward, Smith
You could easily argue that Bradley and Mason would play ahead of Ward next season. The third shooting guard on a team is not a great spot.
Also, with Daniel Bejarano coming the next year and the possibility of guys like Hamilton and Bradley sticking around for a couple of years, Ward may not having playing time in the near future, as good as he is.
--AW--
by awiggo on Apr 3, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
James
should stay if he was smart..James had a down year, and obviously depends on talneted players for success (Durant, Augustine).
by Longhorns84 on Apr 3, 2009 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
fixed
Hill, Chapman, or and Smith
-rBr-
by run Bevo run on Apr 3, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hill
will be the odd man out. If Damo stays………..whoa! Then what?
by silky51 on Apr 3, 2009 2:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Is there any way one of them can pay their own way for a year?
I seem to recall Marquis Estill doing this for Kentucky when they were in a scholly crunch; he went off scholarship for his junior year, and then was reinstated senior year. I could be wrong about the details.
by jc25 on Apr 3, 2009 3:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I was about to ask the same thing
Perhaps someone with NBA potential can foot the bill for themselves for one year.
Or, this may sound stupid, but is it against NCAA rules for a fan(s) to pay for a players tuition?
Anyway, not a bad problem to have… too many good players!
by bfaut86 on Apr 3, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
but is it against NCAA rules for a fan(s) to pay for a players tuition?
-rBr-
by run Bevo run on Apr 3, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
um...
maybe Jai Lucas? His dad was a coach in the NBA, and he can prob. afford at least a year…but that’s jmo.
by vy til i die on Apr 3, 2009 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is there a team size limit beyond just the scholarship limit?
by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 3, 2009 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't know if there's an exact limit
But I don’t think Texas is close, even if Damion stays, J’Covan qualifies, and there are no transfers. I remember a few years ago, A&M had like 19 players on their roster.
by bassale47 on Apr 3, 2009 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess it would make sense
To at the very least allow for a full compliment of scholarships and a pair of walk-ons. Just didnt know if theres a limit somewhere.
19 sounds ridiculous. You could have everyone play 10.5 minutes per game!
by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 3, 2009 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A&M
has 30+ players commit every year to their football program to (all 3*players)..What’s the deal with that?
by Longhorns84 on Apr 3, 2009 11:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
Players who pay their own way are considered walk-ons and do not count against scholarship limitations. It’s not really “fair” to any of these guys to pay their own way, but 2 prime candidates: Jai Lucas and Alexis Wangmene. Lucas comes from a well-off family and Wangmene is basically like a son to RC Buford, the GM of the San Antonio Spurs (Alexis lived with him when he was in high school, and Buford was his legal guardian). So those are two players who conceivably have access to cash and could pay their own way without the NCAA thinking the money is dirty.
by bassale47 on Apr 3, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll wait for official word....
Not that I don’t believe it, but Dad doesnt seem official enough for me
by the other Andrew on Apr 3, 2009 3:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Totally agree. Let's hear from Rick.
I'll never forget ol' what's-his-name.
by Horntod on Apr 3, 2009 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Definitely. I don't believe it yet.
(a) this is direct from his dad and “sources close to the team,” whatever that means, and (b) even if that’s believed, the NCAA clearinghouse still hasn’t given the go-ahead.
Hell, the title of the post at the Statesman is “Hoops recruit makes progress.” I think this is more of a “J’Covan Brown Finally Eligible?” situation rather than “J’Covan Brown Finally Eligible.”
by billyzane on Apr 3, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope Hill
Hill seems like the likely out. I assume Damion must have told Barnes something early in the year that he was 100% gone at the end of the year. Ward might leave when he looks at the incoming recruits.
.
by IUTex on Apr 3, 2009 3:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Chapman goes home
The potential is there, but the kid needs to get his head on straight.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
by Caradoc on Apr 3, 2009 3:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What happened with Harrison Smith?
Wasnt he a highly regarded recruit? If im not mistaken he went to Jones, same school as D Gibson
by PineypointG on Apr 3, 2009 4:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Smith's got some game
But he’s not a good enough shooter to provide enough offensive value to justify his truly below-average defense.
Safe bet with Barnes: You can’t defend, minutes will be tough to come by.
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Apr 3, 2009 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Balbay
Smith can’t be any worse than Balbay. I honestly didn’t see any GREAT shooters this year besides Abrams..and he was hit or miss.
by Longhorns84 on Apr 3, 2009 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
are you kidding me? the reason why balby is in the game is because of his defensive skills. He started getting some points towards the end of the season as well. He gave the team some much needed momentum in the middle of the season.
by MJY6087 on Apr 4, 2009 1:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Watch Smith on defense
PB is exactly right. He’s a liability. Most of the points he scores are negated by his insta-foul-D or letting his man get wide open.
Smith is fine as a role player, but so far he hasn’t shown the skills to be on the court full time.
Yes AJ was our only true shooter, and it hurt this team. Would we have won more games with Balbay out and Smith taking his minutes? Maybe, but not many.
Balbay has deficiencies as well, those which can be mitigated by his teammates being good shooters. This years team will look entirely different, even if we keep 3 of the same starters.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 4, 2009 7:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If true, why not
just tell Brown, too little too late (especially if James stays). I know the guy is talented, but he’s obviously had some issues with academics that could very well continue the next few years. With the other incoming talent UT has assembled, having J.B. is more of a luxury at this point than necessity. I think it would be a shame to tell one of the current members of the roster, especially someone like Ward who got better throughout the year & was an impact contributor at the end of the year, that their playing time was going to be cut for someone who has struggled just to get into the school? Of course, all of this may not matter if Brown still isn’t officially qualified.
by longhorn543 on Apr 3, 2009 4:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
why
just tell the bench warmers good bye. UT needs a PG NOW. UT will not succeed w/o a PG.
by Longhorns84 on Apr 3, 2009 11:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
the problem is there are a few benchwarmers and they all get some sort of playing time (minus harrison smith, but even he got some towards the end). You can kick varez ward out just cause hes not a starter. He can do some dmg as evident in Post season.
by MJY6087 on Apr 4, 2009 1:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have a problem with dismissing guys who did what they were supposed to do to get into school and have put in a year or 2 years or 3 years of work for this team, only to replace them with someone who failed at every opportunity get himself eligible. J’Covan Brown is a good player but not good enough to sacrifice the integrity of the program.
You also have to be very careful who you force to transfer because of the implications it has on recruiting. Do it to a Houston kid, and it’s gonna be a little harder to recruit in Houston, especially at that player’s former high school. Do it to an out-of-state kid, and you’re going to have opposing coaches telling all out-of-state kids “be careful about Texas, they like to trap door kids from out of state when they need a scholarship.” Sorry, but I think the most kosher action is to tell Brown his scholarship has already been taken by someone else, and if James decides to stay, make polite overtures to the players who can afford to pay their own way and see if anyone is willing to take one for the team for a year.
by bassale47 on Apr 4, 2009 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree
If Barnes wants to send a message about the integrity of the program, that is exactly what he should do. There’s no way Matt Hill or Harrison Smith should have their scholarships revoked for someone like Brown who failed to qualify when a scholarship was offered to him (and not to mention, potential attitude issues). Nor is the argument that “the guys who have money should be forced to sacrifice their scholarship for a year” a good one. Available scholarships should go to the players who earned them: Players who were talented enough to get an offer in the first place, qualified when they were asked to, and worked hard with their team and in the classroom when asked to.
I know I’m jumping to conclusions on Brown. He’s probably a good player, but I’m skeptical because of his academic issues and technical foul laden highschool career. When evaluating which player should be left out, it’s obviously him.
--always Texas--
by longtimelonghorn on Apr 4, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ditto
I think Brown plays if he really wants to, but he’s the odd man out as far as scholarships…consider it a probation of sorts and see how much he really wants it. If I recall correctly, he was kicked off of the team and kicked out of school. To be fair, I don’t recall why or remember if the reason was reported. Also, does anyone know what he’s been doing for the past year to keep his skills up?
The pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas will not be entrusted to the weak or the timid.
Hook'em
by longhorns1 on Apr 4, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
HOw many scholarships does UT have anyways?
by MJY6087 on Apr 3, 2009 4:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Baseball scholarships?
Do they give baseball players full scholarships these days? Under Coach Gus they only had like 10 to divide up for the whole team so each guy got something like 9/32 of a full.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
by Caradoc on Apr 4, 2009 11:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Very rare
for a college baseball player to get a full scholarship. The team only gets 11.7 scholarships for a roster of 30 to 35 players. And I’m not sure if it’s been implemented yet, but I read a year or two ago that the NCAA is planning to require that any baseball player who receives scholarship funds get at least a 33% scholarship, so that will complicate things even further, with regard to being able to offer anyone a full scholarship. And that probably means even more top players going straight to the pros.
by bassale47 on Apr 4, 2009 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would take Ward over Brown
we REALLY needed Brown this year, but not next year with the incoming recruits. I wonder if Barnes really wants him at the expense of telling Smith (a senior) or Hill he has to transfer.
by goingforthecorner on Apr 4, 2009 6:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
J'Covan Brown
J’Covan Brown should pay his first year! I believe he was kicked off the HS team because of an uncontrollable mouth/temper. To make his situation less attractive, he does not qualify to enroll! Now that he’s potentially eligible, we need to make room for him. NOT!
Damo’s best season was when Augustine ran the place. Augustine’s confidence made everyone better. The youth/inexperience/skill at PG made the offense sputter. Balbay can run the transition offense and drive to the basket, but he needs to develop a midrange shot. (lacking confidence) At this level, if you’re open take the shot (Baylor Bear’s guards did). If Damo stays, Harrison needs to go. 3PT 15%…..I’ll take my chances on Balbay developing a shot.
2008-09 STATS
PPG APG 3P% RPG BPG SPG
1.9 0.3 .150 1.6 0 0.2
by Texakin on Apr 5, 2009 12:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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