UConn Nabs Andre Drummond, Criticism Ensues

Andre Drummond is wildly talented, but the road ahead is filled with potholes.

On Friday, a single tweet launched defending national champion UConn Huskies men's basketball back into the upper echelon of preseason hype.

"It's official I'm heading to the university of connecticut to be a husky this year! Do I hear #repeat #huskyfam"

The verbal commitment of Andre Drummond, ESPNU's second-ranked recruit in the country, comes as a surprise to nearly everyone. The addition of the highly-touted, 6-foot-10 center will make for a scary-good UConn team with realistic expectations to repeat as champions in 2012. Drummond, a native of Middletown, Connecticut, is a hyper-athletic, force-in-the-paint type center who will likely allow junior C/F Alex Oriakhi to shift over to his more natural position of power forward. He can also step out and knock down jumpers and pass out of double teams to boot. All in all, UConn pulled in one of the best talents in the country and a potential #1 2012 NBA Draft pick to play alongside emerging talents like Shabazz Napier, Jeremy Lamb, and fellow top recruit DeAndre Daniels.

But wait, there's a catch.

Earlier in the summer, UConn had essentially lost hope in their pursuit of Drummond, as he publicly stated that he would not be playing at the college: "No way that happens." Then, earlier this month, he announced a list of five big-name schools that he was interested in attending (UConn, Kentucky, Louisville, Georgetown, and West Virginia). Three weeks ago, he tweeted that he was going to continue playing basketball in prep school for the upcoming year. 

The surprise announcement on Friday was met with skepticism from experts. UConn has no more scholarships available for Drummond; they have three fewer scholarships this year, one taken from the program last winter for violations in the recruitment of former top-prospect Nate Miles and two more docked for poor academic standing.

No matter. 

Michael Bradley, a sophomore center who red-shirted his freshman year, has been approached by the team to discuss the possibility of forfeiting his scholarship in favor of Drummond and applying for financial aid in the waning days before the commencement of fall classes. The team is also weighing the possibility of Niels Giffey and Enosch Wolf, both German-born players, returning to play hoops in their home country. 

UConn's talented young core will be fun to watch this season.

However this plays out, Bradley will have to voluntarily give up his scholarship, and Giffey and Wolf will have to voluntarily take their talents overseas to make room for Drummond. The homer in me is ecstatic to watch the first game for this beefed-up squad, but the moralist in me is uneasy at the prospect of a hardworking player being pressured into forfeiting his college scholarship (and in the case of UConn's Teutonic stars, a spot on the team) for "the greater good." If all goes well, Bradley volunteers his scholarship to Drummond, successfully applies for and receives a full financial aid package, and everyone is happy. Worst case scenario, one of these players is forced (behind the scenes) into a potentially career-altering decision. 

Above all, two things are clear: (1) Andre Drummond will be on UConn's roster come the start of the season, and (2) NCAA punishments have proven to be ineffective. The defending champions have jumped through another loophole in a porous system. But, as much as this whole "situation" nags my conscience, UConn's 2011-2012 "dream team" will be must-see TV. 

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Dean Karoliszyn is the Editor-in-Chief and cofounder of Jabroni Free Sports.