Update: Yup, all three are gone. Awesome! --PB--
Mark Rosner, basketball columnist for the Austin American Statesman, just tweeted that he has a University of Texas source who says freshman Cory Joseph will stay in the NBA Draft. Underclassman must decide by today whether to return to school or remain draft eligible.
After a strong workout yesterday (NBA Draft.net) and the overall weakness of this draft, this isn't a huge surprise. With continued improvement over next six weeks, Joseph could sneak up the draft board and emerge on draft night as an early second round pick. Cory has good size to be an NBA lead guard, a high basketball IQ, and a solid jump shot. To stay in the league, Joseph must improve his handle, become a more consistent outside threat, and show an ability to stay in front of more athletic guards.
If this report is true, next year's Texas Longhorns will look incredibly different from this year's squad.
Gone will be departing seniors Gary Johnson, Dogus Balbay, Matt Hill, and Jai Lucas. Also gone will be freshman Tristan Thompson and Joseph as well as sophomore Jordan Hamilton. That's all five starters, by the way.
Rick Barnes will only return J'Covan Brown and Alexis Wangmene among players who were active last season. Clint Chapman, after red-shirting, will join those two as the only familiar faces in burnt orange.