November 15, 2010

126th: - Maine Red Claws - Armon Bassett, Ohio

Bassett made a bit of a name for himself in the NCAA tournament last year, due in no small part to getting there in the first place. The Indiana transfer paired up with freshman backcourt teammate D.J. Cooper and took the MAC team to the big dance for the first time in five years, then surpassed themselves by knocking off number 3 seed Georgetown in the opening round. (Georgetown should never have been a number three seed, but that's not the point.) Bassett played the whole game, and scored 32 points with 3 assists to lead the Bobcats to the upset win. He didn't play well in the second round game against Bobby Maze's Tennessee, shooting 2-10 with 7 turnovers, but at least he got them there.

However, although Bassett impressed and put himself out there with his performances, no one told him that he didn't raise his stock high enough to get drafted. He can certainly shoot, but he's an extremely undersized two who makes bad decisions, takes bad shots, isn't much of a point guard, only drives left, and who doesn't play defense. He should have gone back and tried to do the same thing again, alongside an improved Cooper. As it is, he's now beginning his professional basketball career drafted behind a volleyball player. It might work out for him anyway, but he didn't seem to make the right decision.

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July 2, 2010

Armon Bassett

Bassett's college career lowlight came when he was kicked off of Indiana's roster for continued petulance. He then transferred to UAB, but left three months later without playing a game, citing a need to be closer to home. He then went to the University of Ohio, which is even further away from his home. But there, Bassett had his career highlight; in the Mid-American Conference tournament, Bassett scored 116 points in the Bobcats' four games to win them a place in the NCAA tournament. Once there, and in front of an international audience (including me), Bassett scored 32 points in an upset win over #3 seed Georgetown, carrying his team as far as the second round of the tournament from next to nowhere. Bassett finally ran out of gas in the second, scoring only 7 points with 7 turnovers in Ohio's second round defeat against Tennessee. But not before he'd made his name. (Again.)

Unfortunately, Bassett then undid all the good work by being arrested after the season ended for breaking a bouncer's nose. You've got to be good to overlook all of that soap opera. And Bassett isn't. He can drive, but only if you let him drive left. He can get to the basket, but he can't finish when he gets there. He can shoot from outside, but not every night, nor without the occasional wild one. And at only 6'2, Bassett is no point guard. The pizza parlour incident is not the reason he did not get drafted. It just didn't help.

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