I don't get it. someone tell me why the Westchester Prep declared for the NBA draft after just one year at UCLA. It was a good year for Ariza but it was certainly not a Carmelo Anthony type freshman year. UCLA's recruiting is among the best in the college basketball right now, right up there with UNC, and they will certainly get more exposure from team scouts as they get better. Why couldnt Ariza solidify his stock in UCLA for even one more year if not two; what's the point of leaving after one year to get drafted in the mid 2nd round? All questions aside, I think the Knicks got a steal by drafting Ariza all the way at 43
I think it stunned a lot of people, but i did get a chance to watch him play on NBATV in the Long Beach summerleague. Against the summer league competition he looked really good, mainly because his athletic abilities are sooo goood. But i think basically everyone would agree he would have been better off with another year or two at UCLA.
