During the year, I never heard him complain about how he was being used or that he wasn’t getting enough touches. KL has been very gracious about UCLA before and after he left, but he was complaining frequently about his touches.

I think EJ’s right that we should cut him some slack. Or will that also merit a warning.

Nestor, you make exactly the same point. JH handled himself with class the entire year. Sorry, when i said “cut him some slack”, I didn’t mean to say you can’t write about him negatively, what I meant was I don’t think he’s as bad as the post suggests; given his conduct during his whole Bruin tour.

what rule did I break?

I totally agree that people are unfairly harsh on Jrue. I’ve read the articles and the quotes mentioned by Nestor above and I don’t remember ever reading anything and thinking, “wow Jrue, that was out of line”. In fact, usually I’d read it and my impression would be, “wait, so what are people complaining about?” I’m not sure why we interpret the same quotes so differently, but I guess that’s the way it is.

As far as “calling Howland”, I think we all know Jrue made his decision a while ago and was putting off hiring an agent to protect against injury/unforeseen circumstances. I’d be quite surprised if Howland wasn’t aware of this already.

You are absolutely right that I am a first time poster (at least first time after the site changed). However, I just opined that EJBruin’s post was another point of view, and discourse is important. Please do not question my loyalty because this is my first post. Loyalty is exhibited in many ways. That being said, Nestor, I truly mean when I say this, I love UCLA and BN and I truly appreciate the community hardwork to keep us informed. Your loyalty can never be questioned.

That makes at least four scholarships available for 2010. And maybe one more if someone decides to leave early or transfer. I think transfers are going to be more frequent given that we have high quality players from 1 to 13.

I am always impressed with the amount of work that goes into BN. Thank you. Any word on Jamie Dixon going to SUC?

Seems like it. On another note, some people have my Warriors taking Holiday at 7 to play PG. I don’t know how I feel about that..how do you guys see him doing at the next level? I watched him all year just like everybody else but I’m just not sure I’d take him over someone like a Tyreke Evans.

Did Jrue reach out to the media and advise them first?

If so, that is incredibly disrespectful to CBH and UCLA and he should be criticized.

Did Dohn call Jrue, and get to him before he had a chance to tell CBH?

If so, then he probably just made a 19 year olds mistake and spilled the beans early.

I will wait until that becomes more clear before forming an opinion.

a long, tumultuous relationship is finally over. The kind of relief you get when you finally sever the last ties to an ex and can breathe again. This whole JH charade has been a giant mess, thank God it is over. Best of luck to Jrue in the NBA, thanks for stopping by.

that college athletics have morphed into big business. The fact that so many young men use the university experience simply as a springboard to the NBA or NFL, without taking advantage of the school’s academic programs, is tantamount to the hiring of ringers.

John Thompson defended his recruitment of young men who left the Georgetown program after one or two years with the assertion that ANY exposure to university life was a good thing for those young men. I won’t say that’s specious, but I will say that it demonstrates just how cynical we’ve become about college athletics and the importance of success on the field in lieu of success in the classroom. It’s been speculated that OJ Mayo may not have stepped inside a classroom during the basketball season because he knew he was leaving after his first year. I don’t know about Holiday’s academic performance – please advise – but it’s obvious that he was at UCLA simply to burnish his basketball rep, NOT to take advantage of the university’s extensive academic possibilities.

I recognize how compelling are the prospects of an NBA career. As I’ve said on this site before, I would much prefer that CBH bring in three and four star athletes who are also dedicated students like Darren Collison, who I will always cherish for his excellence on the court and in the classroom.

As to Jrue Holiday. He might as well have never attended UCLA.

Let me throw this out there. What BN’s feelings towards Trevor Ariza? He did leave after one year at UCLA, with CBH advising him not to, and even asked for his release from UCLA. Granted, he was one of Lavin’s recruits so who knows what that guy promised him (i.e., no hard practices, no discipline, no emphasis on academics, etc.).

At the time, I was disappointed in Ariza. Much like I am with Jrue now. But over time, I became a HUGE fan of Ariza in the NBA (even before he became a Laker) and I wonder if it’ll happen with Jrue as well. I know some members don’t regard Ariza as a true Bruin and some are huge fans of him…I’m curious if people’s feelings toward Ariza correlate with their feelings toward Jrue.

On a final note, thank God we have CBH.

First off, coach Howland, was informed 3 weeks ago Holiday would not return to UCLA, second when Howland was recuritting Jrue he knew that he would most likely be one and done.

is his remark that “it wasn’t really a hard decision.” Saying it just confirmed what many of us suspected about JH to begin with – he didn’t really care about UCLA much at all.

For example, I personally hope that Luc, our former three-year starter, gives him a hands-up, chest-on lesson on exactly what he learned from staying those three years under CBH’s tutelage — you know, something about whatever it is he has publicly claimed is not played in the NBA… oh yeah, it’s called DEFENSE.

I will anxiously await the day that Arron, who only stayed for THREE years but squeezed every bit of sweat out of himself for the team, lights him up for 5 3-pointers the first time JH faces the Pistons., while showing him some of that UCLA-raised, Piston-refined DEFENSE.

I also hope that Russell, who, yeah, only stayed TWO years, lights him up for a triple-double in Jrue’s first trip to Oklahoma City while shutting him down with his Pac-10-honored DEFENSE.

I hope Kevin — yep, our first one-year wonder — continues to talk up our beloved alma mater with gratitude, appreciation and class in the postgame conference outside the T-Wolves locker room — after stuffing three of JH’s shots and rebounding 10 or 12 of the kid’s misses on shots from 12 feet or so away from the rim..

And, MOST of all, I hope Jordan and Trevor and the rest of our Soon-To-Be-World-Champion-Lakers introduce him to his first 40-point loss as a professional basketball player.

Like I said, I wish JH well… it’s really tough in the pros if you don’t know how to play NBA-ready defense.

M

Now that he’s gone, I can’t say I’ll miss him. I didn’t see him play high school ball, so I can’t say that he was a wonderful player or over-hyped or under-hyped. I don’t know if he played up to his potential or not. He seemed to me to be an ordinary player who was fortunate to be chosen to be a starter. I wasn’t particulary impressed.

Now that he’s gone, I think we’ll be better. There will be an opening for someone who wants to embrace Coach Howland’s philosophy.

I know have left a job or two voluntarily. When I did, I didn’t tell my boss through a third party. I suppose he could have just not showed up next year, but in the world of grown-ups, you walk into the head man’s office and tell him face to face.

I wasn’t impressed by Holiday during his stay at UCLA and I’m not impressed with the way he’s leaving.

You can put me in the Nestor column on this one.

(1) Jrue was the most talented player on the team last year and showed flashes of brilliance. He would have been the most talented player on next year’s team.
(2) Despite being the most talented player on last year’s team, he was not the best player on the team. Shipp, Collison and Aboya were better college players last year. Wheter it was maturity or experience, it was true. It’s common that a freshman comes in and is the most talented player but rare that he is the best player on a good team. Love, Durant, Oden, Rose, Beasley, Mayo—those guys were exceptions to that rule. Jrue is not them.
(3) I have no doubt that Jrue would have been the best player on next year’s team, and for this we should probably get over our inclination to treat this like it’s good riddance. It’s not. Next year’s team will suffer for the loss of Jrue.
(4) Long term, this may not be a negative. Next year’s team was not going to the Final 4, with or without Jrue. Now, JA and ML will get even more time, as others will to, which will better prepare us for the 2010-11 season, when, depending on the 2010 class, we could have a team that has enough talent and experience to contend on a national level.
(5) Jrue is and always will be a Bruin. He may have said some things that reflected his immaturity, but please remember that he is a Bruin, and we should wish him well (and wish that he later apologizes for his immature and disrespectful comments.

Sure, I wasn’t 100% happy with Jrue’s performances throughout the season, and not at all pleased with the draft stuff and the stuff said by the people surrounding him.

However, I wish him well, and hope he realizes the opportunities that UCLA has given him. It would be great to see him come back to school or even just get more involved in the program in some way…it might take some while, I think he needs time to mature. Hopefully he’ll figure some stuff out in the next few years. I’m not really comfortable parsing the commitment that our players give—i.e., this guy’s not a true “Ben Ball Warrior” (maybe also because I’m uncomfortable using “warrior” or other war/battle terms in a sports context—he obviously saw something of value in UCLA, or he would have chosen to go someplace else. Hopefully he didn’t see our school as a stepping stone to something bigger.

Best of luck Jrue, hopefully you’ll get a chance to talk to some other guys in the NBA and realize how lucky you were to be a Bruin, and realize that Coach Howland prepared you well and you do as well as the Bruins before you that are now becoming valuable players in the NBA.

As previous posters have stated, I can’t be mad at Jrue. Sure, I was disappointed with and underwhelmed by his performance during his one and only season at UCLA, but I certainly don’t blame him for taking his immense potential to the NBA. One season does not a player make. He has the talent, physical tools and work ethic to make it in the NBA. Apparently, professional NBA scouts (who evaluate players for a living) agree.

As far as his purported lack of “class,” I have never read or heard anything that persuades me that he lacks it so much so that he deserves to be repeatedly and publicly called out for lacking it. Agreed that DC exemplifies what it means to be a Bruin and is the epitome of class. However, I do not think that JH vs. DC comparisons are particularly fair (to either JH or DC). JH was a one and done freshman, 3 years DC’s junior. DC is a veteran senior. JH was a highly touted (and very visible) recruit – the crown jewel of his recruiting class, with enormous pressure on his shoulders. In fairness to JH, UCLA was very lucky to have him. JH could have gone anywhere he chose.

DC, by contrast, was an “under the radar” gem who performed WAY beyond his perceived potential — i.e., he was put in a position to be grateful for ANY meaningful opportunity at an elite program like UCLA — and he has (and is) showing that gratitude. That takes nothing away from DC’s “classiness.” If you want to say that DC is acting with more “class” than JH, fine. But it’s apples to oranges. And JH is not especially “unclassy.” I can think of many, many, many one and done players (or college players period) who have shown far less class than JH.

Also, comparing DC (who is probably one of the classiest Bruins to ever wear a UCLA jersey) to JH in terms of their relative level of “class” is very, very unfair (again, to both DC and JH).

Is JH my favorite Bruin? No, not by a long shot. Do I think he is “unclassy”? No, not by a long shot.

From another long time reader, first time poster.

Hopefully you get picked by a good organization that can utilize your vast potential! While your time as a Bruin was short, the fact of the matter is that YOU picked to come to UCLA and for that you are and always will be a Bruin!

Some kids come to UCLA for one year and make a big impact. Kevin Love.

Some kids come to UCLA for one year, and it’s like they were never there. JH.

I hope the NCAA changes the one and done rule, to two years minimum, or not at all.

I don’t know whether JH will have an impact in the NBA. I know he did not have an impact at UCLA.

I am grateful for the kids who appreciate the opportunity to play at UCLA. Good luck to the graduating seniors.