With the University of Connecticut currently short on scholarships because of some prior recruiting violations and failing to meet the NCAA’s Academic Performance Rating, coach Jim Calhoun heard from an unlikely source to free up one scholarship for prized incoming recruit Andre Drummond.
Back in August, red-shirt freshman Michael Bradley approached Calhoun and offered up his full basketball scholarship so the program could sign Drummond, even if for potentially one season. Apparently when a player the caliber of Drummond, who is already considered a Top 5 Lottery pick in the 2012 Draft, decides to commit to your school, coaches and teammates alike will move heaven and earth to make it a reality.
Prior to this season, Bradley and Drummond were linked through recruiting as Calhoun stumbled onto signing the 6‘10 Bradley, considered a Top 100 prospect in the 2010 Class, when arriving at an AAU tourney to catch a glimpse of the much hyped Drummond. Bradley impressed Calhoun so much that the now 3 time NCAA Championship winning coach offered him a full ride.
Despite a rather rough upbringing that included stays in the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home because of an estranged relationship with his mother, Bradley scored an impressive 1380 on his college boards and has several financial aid grants lined up thanks to his high marks in HS, to help pay for his tuition. With Drummond likely to only stick around Storrs for a season or two, hopefully Calhoun does the right thing and awards Bradley the athletics scholarship he rightly deserves for taking one for the team, once Drummond ascends to the NBA.
Seriously, wouldn’t you give up your scholarship for a chance to win another NCAA Championship, to play alongside a player who stands 6‘11 and 275lbs, already has the nickname “Showtime” Drummond, and has an eery resemblance on and off the court to NY Knicks star Amare Stoudemire?
Check out Andre Drummond’s Final HS Mixtape:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
