Andre Drummond could be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in next June’s NBA Draft.
And yet as of right now, he’s not even a scholarship player on his own team.
That’s because the 6-foot-10 Drummond generously agreed to become a walk-on so that teammate Michael Bradley could go on scholarship.
Bradley, as you may recall, gave up his scholarship and went on financial aid this past August so Drummond could join the team. UConn only has 10 scholarships to give because of NCAA penalites.
“I’m thankful for what Mike was trying to do for me,” Drummond told Gavin Keefe of The Day.
“I told Mike, `Don’t do that, man. I’ll pay my way and take a scholarship next year. You don’t have to give up a scholarship for me.’ ”
Bradley spent part of his childhood in the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, so for him to give up his scholarship was not exactly easy.
“I don’t want anybody to pity me,” Bradley told the Associated Press during the Husky Run on Oct. 12. “But, I’ll say I made a lot of sacrifices growing up that were kind of forced on me. It was hard, but it wasn’t too bad.”
Bradley recently began practicing with the team after having to sit out with a broken ankle.
Drummond, the reigning Big East Rookie of the Week after putting up 24 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in Sunday’s win over Holy Cross, said he gave up his scholarship sometime this fall so that Bradley could go back on ship.
“It was my decision,” Drummond told The Day. “That’s not fair to him. He worked hard to get that scholarship. I’m not going to take something from somebody that’s not mine. It was my decision to come late.”
So remember when David Stern announces Drummond’s name in June, he will be calling the name of arguably the greatest walk-on in recent college basketball history.
kungpaochicken / December 21, 2011
Wonder where the money came from…
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lawrencebwalker / December 21, 2011
“Wonder where the money came from…”
Yes, because a black family could never afford college without a basketball scholarship. Right?
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lawrencebwalker / December 21, 2011
I think this was a pretty noble thing for him to do. Drummond will likely have a very lucrative NBA contract soon. Bradley will be there long term, working his way towards a 5-year degree.
Side note: Drummond directly references a second year of college. That’s the first I’ve heard that, and would be great for UConn’s prospects for next year.
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JonHuskyMS / December 21, 2011
“wonder where the $$ came from”
seriously could you be any more ignorant.
Drummond has actually referred to “next year” a couple times.. in terms of picking a major etc. I dont have too much hope that he won’t be UConn’s first one and done, but hey you never know..
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kungpaochicken / December 22, 2011
I’m ignorant and you’re the one believing the “next year” comment, give me a break.
And Lawrence, way to play the race card and look like a naive moron.
That is all.
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JonHuskyMS / December 22, 2011
“I don’t have too much hope.”. Where does that say I believe it? Yes exactly, that is all….you’re done chief
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kungpaochicken / December 22, 2011
If that’s your position your previous post makes no sense, bruh. I’ll stand by my position that a. Drummond will not play more than one year at UCONN and b. something shady has been arranged to finance his education.
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lawrencebwalker / December 22, 2011
How is it playing the race card? You are the one assuming that a family from Middletown, CT doesn’t have enough money to pay their son’s in state tuition to a public university.
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kungpaochicken / December 22, 2011
You’re right, buddy, it has nothing to do with UCONN’s recent history of shady activity. Are the people who disagree with the president also racist? Jesus, it’s 2011 I thought we were over the type of incoherent idiocy you spew.
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BostonCat / December 22, 2011
could be a shady situation like darnel jackson getting 5K from a KU booster.
but my guess is that since drummond will be a top 5 pick in next years draft, he took out a loan to cover his costs for the semester.
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kungpaochicken / December 23, 2011
Help me out here, Boston, there’s a saying…something about stones and a glass house or something.
Or we can just ramble off the list of Cal’s vacated seasons etc. Actually, it might be more fun to talk about the seasons after 07-08 that will be wiped out of the record books, I’ll go on record with 08-09 (there’s no way Bledsoe or Cousins could have been eligible for college) and 11-12 (200k paid to the Davis family).
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JonHuskyMS / December 23, 2011
Man, this poor kid is all up in arms about this Drummond thing. Take it easy little dude… KU looks better than most expected this year right?
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BostonCat / December 23, 2011
there is also a saying about having your head in the sand.
KU’s rap sheet under self……
boosters hand out cash
DUI’s
sexual assault
stabbings
bar fights
academic fraud
hiring parents to staff positions
donating money to “charities”
million dollar ticket scam
recruiting players friends to get recruits
if KU fans actually came up to breath, maybe they can then take their own advice about glass houses.
why a KU fan would talk shit about any other program is beyond me.
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