One of my big past-times is watching Michigan State Basketball. The week of my wedding they surprised everyone by going back to the Final 4 but last season they played terrible. And now they have lost 3 of their stars to the NBA, including Shannon Brown, a junior.

Wow, this is gonna stink. And it is not the first time.

Why do players from some college teams leave early to get into the NBA while other schools, notably Duke, almost never have that happen?

It is nice to see the college players I have followed play in the NBA but it is even better to watch them mature and play for FOUR years in college. Is this early draft thing a problem of the coach, the school, the NBA or the students?

Ager, Brown And Davis Selected In NBA Draft

Ager and Brown chosen in first round.

June 29, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Childhood dreams became a reality for three Spartans on Wednesday night as Maurice Ager, Paul Davis and Shannon Brown were selected in the 2006 NBA Draft at Madison Square Garden in New York. Brown and Ager were both picked in the first round as the Cleveland Cavaliers chose Brown at No. 25, followed by Ager going to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 28. Davis was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the fourth pick in the second round (No. 34 overall).

With three Spartans selected, Michigan State has had 10 players drafted in the last seven drafts, ranking behind only Connecticut (11) and Duke (11). With Ager and Brown going in the first round, the Spartans have produced six first rounders in the last seven years, including Mateen Cleaves (14th) and Morris Peterson (21st) in 2000 and Jason Richardson (5th) and Zach Randolph (19th) in 2001. Only Connecticut (8) and Duke (7) have produced more, while MSU's six equals North Carolina's total. In addition to the 10 draft picks, both Charlie Bell and Alan Anderson made NBA squads as free agents in the last seven seasons.