WC Jr. owed nothing to St. Johns. He never went there. Nor did he owe Pitino anything. Pitino abandoned WC, not the other way around.
How do you figure Pitino abandoned Clayton? Pitino desperately wanted Clayton to come with him to St. John’s. Clayton wanted to play closer to home and the result is Florida ended up with one helluva outstanding backcourt in Clayton and Pullin.
Simple. Rick Pitino recruited Walter to play for Iona. Walter signs and plays for Iona. Li'l Ricky up and leaves Iona.
Loyalty is not a one-way street. This could be posted a million times in a football forum. Coaches just chase whatever moves them forward. It sort of reminds me of when Pitino left Kentucky for the NY Knicks, they were BAD and he "presumed" they were going to receive the first pick, which was going to be Tim Duncan. They "missed", and so did he.
Yeah. Li'l Ricky was apparently upset that Walter didn't jump at the chance to follow him to St. Johns. Sorry, coach, it's not all about you.
To me, the point of the article was not about who abandoned whom or who owed whom or anything like that. The point was simply that Walter Clayton Jr is really good. In fact, I’ve watched a couple of games involving this “Clayton Jr” fellow this year, and I agree. He’s really good.
Every game you will see little Walter Clayton jump nearly forty inches off the floor, maybe to block a shot or to score. To me, it is amazing the height in the air he can get. He can rebound, assist, hit floaters from anywhere, and of course a great three point shooter. When he is on the break, I always feel something good is going to happen. Great feel for the game and calm. Wait till the press gives us another pic of him in the air, a thing of pure athletic beauty. Go Walter Go Gators.
That "DUNK" against LSU was something SPECIAL, with the delayed dribble and then the elevation and monster jam. Walter got some hops man, for only being 6' - 3"!
Not to mention he's drano from the three! I find the article laments losing out on a good player. Of course how many similar "near misses" in football and basketball could UF "lament". Glad Walter is a Gator, UF has a great group of guards!
Like any Pitino guard, he knows how to read and shoot off those high ball screens. And he isn't afraid to attack the rim. Such a terrific addition.
Good point. I just thought your use of abandoned was a bit harsh. According to Walter, Pitino practically begged him to follow him to St. John’s.
The article has this gem: "while St. John’s was suffering yet another painful loss, their seventh in nine games, Clayton was guiding Florida past LSU." Remember the gnashing of teeth, wishing we had Pitino -- our guy was in over his head, we deserve a blue-blood coach, etc.? 7 of last 9, ouch.
Pitino is as good a basketball coach as there is in college basketball. St. John’s lost at UConn, at Creighton and in the Garden against Marquette by a total of six points, with a chance to win all of these games in the last 30 seconds. St. John’s will get better, but it’s tough to get a team to gel that has 12 new players on it.
Clayton chose Iona entirely bc Pitino was coach. Pitino made many assurances to Iona and recruits that he was going to retire a Gael… that Iona was his last stop. He was obviously full of shit.
