Nearly one year ago, Renardo Sidney was tearing it up at Fairfax HS in Los Angeles alongside teammate and friend Solomon Hill, as both were poised to make an immediate splash in the collegiate ranks.
Both have taken different paths since, with Hill now playing 26 minutes a game and averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds at Arizona while Sidney at Mississippi State has been forced to sit on the sidelines amid recruitment eligibility and un-ethical conduct violations.
Sidney was ranked as one of the Top 5 power forwards and Top 15 overall players coming out of high school at the end of last season. At 6’10 and 260 lbs, he compared physically and had similar skills around the basket with DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky and Derrick Favors at Georgia Tech.
The NCAA and Sidney’s parents have been locked in a legal battle over the family’s resistance to offer up proof or guilt of improprieties during his final year in high school, his supposed receiving gifts from Reebok, and lying to investigators.
The supposed sticking point for the NCAA is Sidney being caught lying under questioning concerning his moving into a multi-million dollar mansion in LA during his freshman year in HS. Sidney’s attorneys argue that he simply forgot the details of events from 4 years ago. Either way, prosecutors have convinced everyone that Sidney’s actions constitute a cover-up, with punishment being a 1 year ban from competition.
The Sidneys can go two different directions. They can accept the decision and try to seek his reinstatement for next season. But would Sidney be willing to wait another season in college with the lure of NBA dollars awaiting him?
The other scenario would be to appeal the decision, setting up another investigation and decision that could last weeks, leaving it a very small chance of Sidney suiting up this year for the Bulldogs.
Either way we probably will not have the pleasure of seeing Renardo on the NCAA hardwood this season, or quite possibly ever. A prospect with as much talent and size as Sidney would be seen as a good gamble to take in the upcoming NBA Draft. After all, isn’t every top prospects’ goal to make it to the NBA?
In Sidney’s absence, Mississippi State has been doing a good job treading water behind POY candidate Jarvis Varnado(13.4 ppg, 11.2 rebs, 5.2 blks) with a 16-6 overall record and are sitting atop the SEC West along with Arkansas and Ole Miss with a 4-3 mark. Getting Sidney back for the conference tourney or the “Big Dance” could vault the Bulldogs into elite team status and possibly a deep tournament run.
Note to the NCAA: Let Sydney Play
Check out some footage of Sydney from Fairfax HS from Ball is Life:
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.
