Gators' Condon Discusses Combine Mindset

I hope he doesn't read Jo's comments about coming back. It was no picnic. It's bound to be disappointing emotionally.

 

It is his decision. It just feels like a deep sea fishing expedition in the late evening when all the boats are already parked in the harbor. Unless he is working out with the #29 or #30 teams, not sure why he thinks he is going to get a serious bite. I just hope his advisors aren't the same as the ones Matt Walsh had. That would be unfortunate.

 

What did Matt Walsh's advisors do?

 

Well Condo did say he was going to approach the combine with the mindset "to pursue an NBA career".

And.......from the sidelines we have heard projections from middle of the first round to top of the second.
Selfishly of course, I and Gator Nation as a whole want him back for obvious reasons.

It is interesting some of the comments I have heard about players who go ahead and come out late in the first, or in the second round, are
usually relegated to the "G" league. From the G league descriptions I have heard, returning to College would be infinitely more desirable and in many cases, equal, if not more profitable, for the player in terms of financial compensation. I understand a good crowd at a G league game is 100 people,
and the quality of basketball is all - "I got to gets mine". I also understand travel accommodations are "spartan" to put it nicely.

Like you te, whatever he decides I hope it works out for him. We have no clue what his family's financial situation (that I have heard) is, nor other mitigating factors such as "family health" and so forth. I did enjoy his fathers interview most of us have heard.

Hopefully whatever is the "driver" could be put on hold one more year, then again, he may be getting feedback that he will be drafted higher than most of us are hearing about.

While Gator Nation is currently ecstatic and justifiably so, about the rejuvenation of the basketball program under Golden, the addition of Fland, Lee and Brown, even if Condo does come back, hardly equates to anything remotely similar to last years success.

The reconstruction of teams, every year, during the off-season is fun to watch and presents the media and fan bases with plenty of "projection fodder", it is all a roll of the dice. Sure, with what UF has returning and what has been signed, it is reasonable to think the Gators will be good, if not very good again, but Final Four? Repeat National Champs? A very rare occurrence indeed.

If one tracks the Gator team this year, especially during the tournament, one must admit the Gators were dangerously close to elimination at least 4 of the 6 March madness games.

Who knows what the team chemistry will be like? What the injury situation will be like? Not to mention extraneous factors such as the supposed "Todd Golden" scandal.

Having posted all these "obvious" points, I still find it incredibly cool and encouraging that UF basketball is no longer mired in mediocrity. That for now at least, UF is in the conversation with programs like UCONN, Kansas, KY, Houston, and other powerhouse teams.

It is rather incredible to think 3 season ago, UF, coming off the bounce of Mike White, had a losing season, and in year two, was bounced from the tourney in the first round. Lo and behold, year three brings a Natty. Pretty cool stuff for Gator Nation.

Basketball is fun again and I think UF will be a force to reckon with under coach Golden. Not to mention "I LOVE" his style of offense and fast break Basketball.

Yeah, a book.......... but I love talkin B Ball again!

 

If he doesn't come back, I'll be excited to see what Mikic can do with some minutes.
https://www.hudl.com/profile/20544658/Viktor-Mikic

 

From a 5/22 ESPN article:

"Condon opted not to participate in the 5-on-5 scrimmage portion of the combine, so there wasn't a huge opportunity for his stock to move dramatically in one direction or the other. The 6-foot-11 forward slotted in at No. 38 in ESPN's latest mock draft, and most of the intel surrounding Condon suggests he is more likely to return to college."

 

Alex had a stretch in the SEC in which he was an absolute beast. Bama was at his mercy. After his ankle injury, he never reached that level again, even though he seemed fine.

 

Told him he was going to be a first round draft choice. He went undrafted.

 

I just have visions in my head of Haugh and Condo hitting a higher % of jumpers, especially three pointers. I mentioned the possibility of them both improving their outside shots when going from Freshmen to Sophomores. They both did that, if they both lift their %'s again, it pretty exciting to think just what that would do for the Gators in 25/26. It would really open the floor up for everybody.

Both players just improved dramatically. A key reason for UF's Natty run.

Well it won't be too much longer before Condo's decision is made, fingers crossed.

 

G League ball is actually pretty fun to watch and a lot more team oriented than you'd think. You're 100% right about the crowd size for most games though - a few teams that play in smaller towns and gyms draw good crowds, but most of the time it's playing in front of almost nobody.

cool thing about that is it's also super cheap to watch - I went down to Kissimmee a couple times this past season to catch Mac McClung and UF alum Chris Walker playing with the Orlando G League team and sat courtside for about the same price as an NBA nosebleed ticket (with free food and beer included!), and it was definitely a good time.

its hard for me to see current Condo as a first round pick, he needs to work on his jumper a lot imo, but the NBA is all about potential so you never know. He'll definitely play in the league eventually, I just don't know if he's at the point right now where a GM would burn a first rounder on him.

 

THE G League is really a simple concept. What it needs is for the local folks to embrace their team, just like they do with minor league baseball and hockey in Canada. As of right now, the financial limitations are in full display. They are better than the NFL foray into minor league football in Europe, but just in the black...or in the red a bit to allow good players to develop.

Until further notice, folks will flock to college basketball and so the finances are better. But make no mistake, major college basketball is A or AA level and G League is AAA level. But if all you see are players who can barely sit at the end of the bench in the NBA and you aren't emotionally attached to the local team, you may as well just watch things on TV. It is what it is.

 

Ah, okay. I thought he played 4 years for the Gators but I checked and saw it was just 3. He then went overseas and played for 15, count 'em, 15 teams. You still make good money, see the world, and meet tons of babes.

 

There are certainly worse fates than being a Euro pro ball player.

 

Just stopping by to see if Condo made a decision yet. Any word?

 

How about now?

 

Maybe now?

 

Prospects cloudy. Try again later.

 

Are we there yet?