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Who is to blame in this very messy situation?

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The story in Memphis isn’t Austin Nichols’ transfer, it’s if we’ve already seen Peak Pastner

Rob Dauster

Jul 8, 2015, 4:18 PM EDT


Josh Pastner (AP Photo)

Here’s what we know about Austin Nichols’ decision to request a release to transfer out of the Memphis program: He has asked to leave and the powers that be at Memphis, including head coach Josh Pastner, have decided against granting him a release.

Beyond that, rumors run deeper than details.

Is Nichols upset with the way that he’s developed under Pastner’s tutelage the last two seasons? Is he sick of losing and convinced things aren’t going to change in the near-future? Is he bothered having watched Duke, who Nichols passed on coming out of high school, win a national title while sending three guys to the first round of the draft? Is he worried about playing time if Memphis turns to ‘Daddy Ball’ with the Lawson brothers coming into the program? Is his dad the one pushing him to make this decision? Did Nichols just break up with his girlfriend?

Is it all of the above?

Perhaps the more relevant point of discussion here is whether he would be able to get that release through a simple sitdown with the coaching staff — something that, according to Pastner, has not yet happened — because in the end, that’s the big-picture issue here. A coach with a multi-million dollar contract denying an amateur student-athlete a transfer release, forcing the kid to play tuition during his mandatory redshirt season.

That’s shameful.

It’s inherently wrong.

And if Pastner doesn’t change his mind eventually, he’ll rightfully get ripped. But his anger — and his desire for vengeance, which is what this is — is also understandable. Losing a kid to a transfer in March is one thing. Having them decide to leave in July is entirely different. Learning about the transfer via an email from the kid’s dad? Yeah. I’d be mad, too.


Austin Nichols (AP Photo)

But at the end of the day, what we’re talking about is the Nichols family being forced to pay tuition at their new school for one year, a year he’s going to have to redshirt regardless of whether or not he gets a release. It’s a significant financial hit, but one that can be supplemented by student loans, generous financial aid packages and perhaps even a rogue booster or two. Considering Nichols’ future probably holds a significant professional basketball career, I have a feeling he’ll end up just fine either way.

To me, the most significant part of this decision by Nichols is the negative light that is once again being shined on Pastner’s program. Nichols was the leading scorer and second-leading rebounder for the Tigers in addition to being one of the best shot-blockers in the country, and he’s leaving a team that went 18-14 overall and 10-8 in the thoroughly mediocre American last year.

Adding Alabama transfer Ricky Tarrant should help solidify the point guard spot, and a freshmen class that includes Dedric Lawson, K.J. Lawson and Nick Marshall should provide Pastner with plenty of front court depth, but what about this roster is intimidating? Shaq Goodwin regressed last season and Tarrant averaged 2.0 assists for a team that went 8-10 in the SEC in 2014-15.

In other words, it’s very possible that Memphis ends up missing their second straight NIT in 2015-16.

It would be one thing if these issues were cyclical. Billy Donovan went to two straight NITs with Florida after Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Al Horford went to the NBA. They also won back-to-back national titles. Kentucky went to the NIT in 2013, the outlier in a four-year run that included a national title and three Final Fours. UConn missed the tournament in 2007, 2010 and 2013. They also won national titles in 2004, 2011 and 2014, reaching another Final Four in 2009.

Pastner?

He has the same number of NCAA tournament wins — two in six seasons — as years that his teams have missed the tournament altogether.

But it gets worse.

Nichols is the fifth member of Pastner’s loaded, six-man 2013 recruiting class that has transferred. Nick King, a former top 50 recruit, transferred out in March. Kuran Iverson, another former top 50 prospect, left in the middle of the 2014-15 season. Dominic Woodson was a top 100 recruit that lasted a year before he was shown the door. Pookie Powell nearly transferred after his freshman season before leaving this spring. The only kid left is Markel Crawford, who saw less playing time than overweight and out of shape Kedren Johnson and Southeastern Louisiana transfer Avery Crawford.

Now to be fair, not all of those transfers are a bad thing. Sometimes showing a knucklehead the door is addition by subtraction, but that doesn’t change the fact that there was ‘subtraction’ in the first place. What made Fred Hoiberg great at the college level is that he brought in knuckleheads and got them to buy into his system, to play hard and play to win. Royce White has played one season of basketball since graduating high school in 2009, and Hoiberg made him an all-american and a first round pick in the 2012 draft that season.

Woodson seemingly spent his entire Memphis career suspended. Iverson transferred about a week after ripping his coach on twitter. He, too, was suspended at the time.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of this entire soap opera is that Memphis seemingly turned a corner during the 2013-14 season. Pastner not only won a game against a top 25 team for the first time in his career, he did it in a rematch against a Marcus Smart-led Oklahoma State team that had just beaten the Tigers by 21 points 12 days earlier, a loss that convinced just about every fan in the city to call for his job. He’d eventually go on to win five games against top 25 opponents that season — including a sweep of Louisville — and eventually won a game in the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season.

It was the first season that Memphis was a member of the American Athletic Conference, making it unequivocally the best season in his tenure with the Tigers.

That season — and that win over Oklahoma State — was supposed to change the narrative for these Tigers.

And it did, but what if it wasn’t a sign of which way Pastner’s program was trending?

What if that was Peak Pastner?

And in a city that cares as much about their college basketball as Memphis does — a city that got used to the success of John Calipari, Pastner’s predecessor — how much longer will Peak Pastner be acceptable?
 
Ultimately, the ncaa is at fault for drawing things up so this is possible. Write fair regulations regarding players leaving and pastners clowning decision isn't possible
 
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I have met and talked to Pastner in the past both in person and on the phone. This action surprises me and maybe there is more than meets the eye.

Bottom line, when all is said and done the player will get his full release.
 
When you ask to transfer in July, you're asking for a problem but I agree with Dan, he will be able get his full release at some point.
 
The question that we all should be asking is when is the NCAA is going to adopt rules or legislation that removes the ability of any school to block any athlete from transferring . That schools continue to still have the right to do so continues to amaze me.
 
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The question that we all should be asking is when is the NCAA is going to adopt rules or legislation that removes the ability of any school to block any athlete from transferring . That schools continue to still have the right to do so continues to amaze me.
BINGO!!!!!!!
 
The question that we all should be asking is when is the NCAA is going to adopt rules or legislation that removes the ability of any school to block any athlete from transferring . That schools continue to still have the right to do so continues to amaze me.

Double bingo!!!
 
Who's to blame? Austin Nichols is to blame. If you don't want to honor your commitment to your school, don't go crying to the press when the school plays hardball with you because you want to transfer out of the blue in July.

In the end he will get his full release and he knows it (the anti-NCAA crowd is too strong these days and will make a big fuss about it). But it always amazes me when these players try to pull stunts like this and throw their program and their coach off track.
 
Who's to blame? Austin Nichols is to blame. If you don't want to honor your commitment to your school, don't go crying to the press when the school plays hardball with you because you want to transfer out of the blue in July.

In the end he will get his full release and he knows it (the anti-NCAA crowd is too strong these days and will make a big fuss about it). But it always amazes me when these players try to pull stunts like this and throw their program and their coach off track.

Austin Nichols did honor his commitment and attended Memphis and played basketball for the Tigers. He has made a decision to transfer , as have over 600 other basketball players this year and his going to the press would not have been necessary if he had been granted his release . I just don't see how Nicholas can be blamed because he wanted to attend another school because he was unhappy at Memphis.

Just for the record he is the fouth member of Memphis's 2013 class to transfer which would suggest there may be problems in that program.
 
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Who's to blame? Austin Nichols is to blame. If you don't want to honor your commitment to your school, don't go crying to the press when the school plays hardball with you because you want to transfer out of the blue in July.

In the end he will get his full release and he knows it (the anti-NCAA crowd is too strong these days and will make a big fuss about it). But it always amazes me when these players try to pull stunts like this and throw their program and their coach off track.
You would think that the Memphis coach or their AD would have known this was going to happen way before this. I guess if you do not respect the coach things like this happen. I guess the only path left to take for the Memphis coach is to let him go because of the disruption the situation will cause if he stays.
 
Memphis granted him a conditional release. It's hard to fault the school for the messiness of the situation (which turned out not to be messy at all). Two weeks ago Nichols was happily looking forward to the 2015-16 season and signed his scholarship papers. We like to call these players "kids," but legally they are adults and need to think before signing on the dotted line. Memphis is doing him a favor by letting him out of a freshly signed agreement. The publicity would have been bad for the school, even though they would have been in the right. Hopefully Nichols learns from this and isn't so eager to affix his signature to documents in the future. He also needs to find a girlfriend who sticks with him for the next two years so he doesn't try this same thing again.
 
And if say, Delgado tried to transfer next week, you'd be all for it? You wouldn't think he made the decision that he was unhappy much earlier and should have pulled the trigger in March or April?

I think it should be allowed but also question what changed in the last 3-5 months that made it necessary now, in July. I understand why the coaching staff is pissed.
 
Memphis gives Austin Nichols a full release

Scott Phillips


Jul 14, 2015, 7:45 PM EDT


nichols.jpg


After initially giving sophomore forward Austin Nichols a release with plenty of restrictions, Memphis has backtracked its stance and will give Nichols a full release, according to a release from the school. The 6-foot-10 Nichols was previously restricted from going to a number of schools when he initially looked to transfer last week. Now Nichols can pick wherever he wants for his new spot.

“The University of Memphis has reviewed the appeal submitted by Austin Nichols and has agreed to remove all conditions from his release,” the statement read.

Memphis originally blocked Nichols from going to anyone in the American Athletic Conference, any Memphis non-conference opponent in 2015-16 and Tennessee, Iowa, Providence and Virginia. Iowa, Providence and Virginia all play in a tournament with Memphis in the 2016-17 season.

Once the Nichols family hired high-powered attorney Don Jackson to look into the restrictions, Memphis ultimately cooled its stance. Probably a smart move for both parties to move on from this one and now Nichols can find a new spot to play the last few years of his college career.
 
What you're seeing with Nichols is not unique and I would suggest that these late decisions to transfer will grow in the coming years. The better talent is always going to have people whispering in their ears that there are better situations out there for them , whether it be an AAU coach, a player at another school, a street agent, an " Advisor" , a rep for a sports apparel company , et al. Roster turnover not caused by graduation is increasing and every program has to be prepared on how to deal with that reality.
 
Agreed. And that's why I am strongly in favor of eliminating the one year sit out rule except in extreme situations. Without it college BB & FB would become a disaster for the fans of most all teams except the elite.
 
Nichols certainly has the right to transfer, but his desire to do so should have been conveyed to the staff at the conclusion of the , season, or very shortly thereafter. The timing, and if as alleged the wish to transfer was conveyed by email, puts him in a poor light. Personally, i do not see anything wrong with prohibiting intraconference transfers, nor having a mandatory one year "sit-out" period.

I don't think those who advocate the free movement of players without them having to sit-out a year would hold the same opinion if you were to lose a couple of starters who announce they're transferring in July.
 
This is what happens when coaches can revoke scholarships at any time for any reason. I'm actually surprised that this isn't happening more often with higher profile players. The coaches and administrators have made this bed with the rules they have passed and now they have to lie in it. They can't have it both ways.
 
Agreed. And that's why I am strongly in favor of eliminating the one year sit out rule except in extreme situations. Without it college BB & FB would become a disaster for the fans of most all teams except the elite.
This is what happens when coaches can revoke scholarships at any time for any reason. I'm actually surprised that this isn't happening more often with higher profile players. The coaches and administrators have made this bed with the rules they have passed and now they have to lie in it. They can't have it both ways.

The large number of transfers continues to grow and is now an integral part of the college recruiting landscape and that's not going to change. What should not be overlooked is that this pool of talent is really a two-way street. It does hurt programs when one of its key player's or players transfer but it also presents the opportunity for a program to fill a priority need or needs by adding a transfer particularly when they are unable to fill that need utilizing their traditional HS recruiting channels. In point of fact a growing number of programs are assigning one of their assistant coaches to monitor the transfer talent pool as a recognition of how valuable that pool has become. Just as programs have had to adjust to players leaving early for the pro's and still continue to have success , so too will the better and smarter run programs adjust to the transfer environment we find ourselves in.
 
This is what happens when coaches can revoke scholarships at any time for any reason.

That terrible rule (call it the Jim Valvano Special) is being addressed. Many conferences including the Big East will soon be guaranteeing full scholarships unless the players does something to jeopardize his free ride.
 
Nichols certainly has the right to transfer, but his desire to do so should have been conveyed to the staff at the conclusion of the , season, or very shortly thereafter. The timing, and if as alleged the wish to transfer was conveyed by email, puts him in a poor light. Personally, i do not see anything wrong with prohibiting intraconference transfers, nor having a mandatory one year "sit-out" period.

I don't think those who advocate the free movement of players without them having to sit-out a year would hold the same opinion if you were to lose a couple of starters who announce they're transferring in July.
Tough luck to me and SHU if a star decides to transfer in the summer. My happiness has nothing to do with where they go to college, and after they say they want to leave SHU, where they go is none of SHU's damn business.

A missou kid just decided to transfer:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mens-coll...ri-tigers-guard-montaque-gill-caesar-transfer
 
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