Shipp testing out the draft

by bhbruin on Apr 27, 2008 4:13 PM PDT Comment 22 comments

Bumped. This is not a surprise. Shipp has every right to take advantage of this process as a junior. If he blows up in the workouts great for him. Otherwise he can use the feedback from this process to figure out what he needs to improve on for his final season at UCLA. Either way its a win-win situation for him. Good luck to Josh. We are with him all the way. GO BRUINS. -N

WWL Article:

UCLA's Josh Shipp will enter the NBA draft, but the junior won't hire an agent, leaving him the option of returning to play for the Bruins.Shipp averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 rebounds during UCLA's run to its third consecutive Final Four. The Bruins lost to Memphis in the national semifinals. "After speaking with my family and with coach [Ben] Howland, I think I should test the NBA waters to get some feedback," Shipp said in a statement Sunday. "I feel like it really can't hurt me at this time. I want to go through the process this year, which will serve as a positive experience for me in my future development."

Shipp has certainly earned the right to get some feedback by testing the draft waters.

"It has been great being a part of so many winning teams," he said. "But at the same time, I'm at the later stages of my college career and I think it would be an advantage for me to test this year."

Best of luck to him. I think we're going to have an awesome lineup next year with Collison returning. Shipp's return would only help to anchor the team and his extensive experience as a Bruin will help mentor the incoming fab four.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Based on his quotes

I think Shipp is back. He's definitely not a 1st round pick and Shipp continually said "test" the waters. He'll be back.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Apr 27, 2008 4:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep !

His late season "malaise" disappointed many, despite his other contributions.

Unless he relishes the austere life of CBA, playing in the dilapidated gym of the North Dakota Icemen, otherwise Pauley is your place.

by Htse005 on Apr 27, 2008 10:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just like Dijon

He'll test the waters, find out from the scouts where he's projected to go, and where he needs to fine-tune his game if he's going to make the jump to the next level.

With DC and MR back, LMR gone, KL and RW most likely gone, and the Fab Four coming in, I'm excited to see Howland pushing our offensive tempo up. It'll be great way for JS to get back to being JS: driving to the hoop, drawing fouls, getting offensive rebounds, making things happen.

Either way, whether he goes now or next year, there are few guys out there with the kind of basketball IQ JS has.

Hopefully, he'll stick it out one more year and pass some of that along to the Fab Four.

by norcald503 on Apr 27, 2008 5:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Why don't all juniors do this?

Reading between the lines it sounds pretty obvious that Shipp is coming back next year and is more or less doing this because it basically can only help him. He will get feedback from NBA scouts on what he needs to do to improve his game and then has the entire summer to dedicate himself to this area. My only question is, if this proccess can only be beneficial for juniors, why doesn't every NBA prospect who is a junior do this? It also makes Collison's decision to not even test the NBA waters that much more confounding.

by turs12 on Apr 27, 2008 7:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really confounding ...

DC is not in the same place at Josh. DC is probably a first round pick. And from his pov he already knows where he stands, what he wants, and what he needs to work on. Not all kids are the same. Perhaps Josh wants to find out directly from the scout what he need to work on and get a taste first hand what's it like going up against the best during these work outs. You have to look at these situations at a player by player basis and not apply a uniform standard of expectations on all of them.

What people should do is let the process work itself out and give these kids some room as they make their decisions, and not panic like many do at first instance on message boards all across the country.

by Nestor on Apr 27, 2008 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

confounding...

I have repeatedly heard of people who avoid job interviews for one reason or another. Some say they don't want the job that's available, some say they aren't qualified, some say they just don't like interviewing.

I think it's an opportunity to become familiar with the interview process.

If I were in DC's shoes I would do it unless there is some problem I was trying to hide.

The only reason I'm glad that DC isn't doing it is that someone would have convinced him to stay in the draft.

by layout on Apr 27, 2008 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"some say"

that is a sorry MSM tactic of providing analysis without proffering actual evidence. You have no idea what wen through DC's decision making process. So without any evidence don't come on here claiming DC was trying to hide something by not declaring for the process.

by Nestor on Apr 28, 2008 4:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What layout meant to say

was that "sources" told him things. "Sources" are way better than "some say." When you say "some say" everyone knows you're making it up. But my "sources" say that when Doh! quotes "sources," he's actually quoting what the guy in the next cubicle would have said if Doh! actually had asked him.

Indeed, my "source" is Mrs. Fox 71, who may well have said what I attributed to her if I had actually asked her. Her actual reply would probably have been a roll of her eyes and the coded statement "Will you quit wasting your time on that stuff" which sources will tell you actually means, "Yes dear, whatever you say dear."

So it's all good.

by Fox 71 on Apr 28, 2008 4:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

some say

I'm not talking about DC, I'm talking about the people I know who make excuses to avoid going on job interviews. Not athletes, just co-workers.

I don't think DC has anything to hide either. I just think a junior (not DC) with a problem in his game wouldn't want to do these workouts if he's not going to stay in the draft. That's the only good reason I can think of for not doing the workouts.

DC made his choice, he wants one more shot at the title which is great for UCLA.

People make bad decisions for good reasons and good decisions for bad reasons all the time. I don't have a crystal ball so I can't say which decision is right. I'm happy that DC is coming back but I want DC to make the right decision for himself.

I think I can say that and still be a UCLA fan.

By the way, what the heck is MSM?

by layout on Apr 28, 2008 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Layout - Of course !

Everyone is entitled to speak their mind about the team we support.

Personally, I could care less DC's reasoning one way or the other. The fact that he is returning to lead the charge again, it makes my day.
" Holiday Time " will soon arrive at Pauley.

The other guy said it well too. Why can't they ask their own coach what they needed to work on ? Howland is as good as it gets within the college ranks, perhaps even better than coach K. And you know the selection committee of the US Basketball Association unanimously picked coach K to head our national team. So top college coaches are not necessarily " out of the loop " when it comes to developing player skills for the pros.

by Htse005 on Apr 28, 2008 1:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

K-Love dropped to #11 on Chad Forde's mock draft

My selfish pipe dream involves a continued descent to the low teens for K-Love after working out for scouts, and he decides to come back for another year and solidify his status as a top 5 pick next year. I can dream, right?

GO BRUINS!

by rgalloucla on Apr 27, 2008 9:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Your pipe dream may just

become probable reality if Love's evaluation trend continues.

Depends on the style of play, NBA teams do not solely count on their centers' outlet passes, Love's trump card. Those days of Blazermania, with Walton leading the charge are long gone. Even NBA forwards rebound well. Love would find his hands full in that category too. Then after a season long playing the pivotal position in Howland's system, he looked winded in that Final Four game. What gives ?

Love has been sensational, lived up to the billings in Pauley. But if they told him in camp he might not be the top six or eight chosen, he better not call any agent yet.

by Htse005 on Apr 27, 2008 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

this draft

This draft is just plain ridiculously deep. In fact, its easily one of the deepest in years, and considering the fact that there are many foreign players to enter as well, basically only Beasley and Rose are guaranteed to be top 2 picks.

by blinkshot on Apr 28, 2008 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have no problem with Shipp testing.

None at all.

But why can't Howland, after talking with scouts, tell Shipp what he needs to do. Why does Shipp need the scouts to tell him?

I don't have a problem with the "testing the waters" system we have. However, for players who are coming back for sure (like Shipp), why not just listen to the best coach in college basketball?

Anyway, Shipp is back for sure, and I am feeling good about next year.

by rfirpo on Apr 28, 2008 8:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

God damn Howland

Why can't he solve the traffic issues on the 405? Why oh why?

by bluestreet on Apr 28, 2008 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's an idea

On odd-numbered days, only cars with odd-numbered plates get to go on the freeway, and ditto with even-numbered plates. Vanity plates? Sure - increase the cost about 1000%, and then they could be on the freeway any day. Or better, leave the cost the same, and never allow a vanity plate on the freeway.

(In Athens, that was tried during the 80's, because the smog was eroding all the marble in the Parthenon and places like that. I don't know if it worked.)

People would try to figure a way around this wonderful idea, of course, but when I'm appointed Commissioner of Traffic Control (and I would also like to be Commissioner of the Pac-10, too), I'll deal with that issue.

by Fox 71 on Apr 28, 2008 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Familiarity breeds contempt !

by Htse005 on Apr 28, 2008 8:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because CBH Is A True Professional...

...and he does not speak for the NBA.

Shipp needs to establish releationships with folks directly connected with the NBA, if only to help him get set for next year. He needs to get that feedback dircetly and immediately. He's being a grown-up.

It will only help him, and the Bruins. I, for one, believe that Shipp will have an "break-out" season with the Bruins in his senior year, as long as he stays healthy.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Apr 28, 2008 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

YUK

"relationships" (Sorry.)

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Apr 28, 2008 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and...

"directly." (Sorry, again.)

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Apr 28, 2008 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's a guess at what the NBA people might say

Make a three a couple of times every month or so.
Work on your ball-handling
Work on your defensive intensity
Don't get injured so much.

Seriously, there are a lot of question marks about Josh right now, and he's lucky he's going to have an entire senior season to try to put them to rest. If he can do so, he can get himself into the second round. If he tries going out this year, he will be playing ball in Israel with Tyus or selling cars with Ed. Josh, listen to what those NBA folks tell you, then come back and rededicate yourself to being the player we all know you can be.

by waters96 on Apr 28, 2008 9:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Your list

1. He makes lots of threes...in practice...so maybe he'll wow some scouts.

2. If I am not mistaken, Josh was one of the players with the fewest turnovers this year...

3. Ummm...I'm pretty sure CBH had Josh in the games because of his defensive intensity, not his offensive prowess.

4. I think you're kidding...right?

by tasser10 on Apr 28, 2008 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs