Dellavedova has also been named to the 2012 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball All-Academic Team!

http://www.wccsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022712aac.html

http://www.smcgaels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=101619&SPID=12536&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=21400&ATCLID=205387953

Be great if he can get an NBA contract

Delly has improved each season in college, and has played a starring role in leading the Gael's this season following McConnell's departure after graduating...not to mention all the positive attention and exposure he has earnt alongside all the individual accolades.

So given this year will be a reasonably weak year for PG's, should Delly consider giving up his senior year and nominate for the next NBA draft?

Would definitely warrant some serious thought one should imagine, especially if Delly could help take his team to the WCC tournament championship and also make a decent run in the NCAA tournament...

I'd love to know what others think on this...

Congratulations Delly!

I've long thought that Delly could play at the level required to make the NBA, I'm just not sure that NBA GM's will agree, as he seems to have a lot of those 'stereotypes' that put GM's off. He's a relatively small, international, white kid. He's a 'tweener' when it comes to position, he plays at a small school in a small conference. He's not outstanding at any one aspect of the game.

I reiterate, all those things listed are not me knocking him, but the usual excuses you hear from NBA GM's. Hopefully they've all learnt something from the recent Jeremy Lin story.

As far as declaring for the draft, I would suggest that unless he gets a first round guarantee, then he should go back for his senior year.

The absolute closet comparison you can make for a draft case is Mickey McConnell. Granted he's a bit smaller than Delly, but as the 2011 WCC POTY, at the same school, and same position, he makes for a great comparison.

Mickey's numbers last year were superior to Delly's - 16.4ppg, 6.1apg, 50%FG, 45%3PFG, 89%FT. Probably not as good a defender, but these numbers didn't really get Mickey a look in at the NBA level, even though the averages were the same as, and the shooting percentages superior too Steve Nash as a senior.

Agree Vart, but we also need to consider Delly took some heat off McConnell and McConnell took heat off Delly. Delly has played this season with all the heat, as good as Page is, he is not as good as McConnell (yet anyway).

I too am hoping the Jeremy Lin story helps his cause and avoid him being overlooked.

I suspect that a guy who is making all academic teams will have an interest in finishing his degree and will therefore want to complete his senior year.

I was thinking the same XY...

He wasnt just named to the All Conference academic team.. he was named to the All American academic first time. Off the top of my head the other 4 on the team come from Duke, Ohio State, UNC and Wofford.

This is a weak draft for PG's, but next season's will be even weaker I think, its all big men and wing players, he'd be better off coming back for his final year, graduating and taking his chances on draft day.

I've haven't seen a PG get mugged like Delly does for a long time. He is consistently getting doubled off the pick. So his numbers are very impressive. He finds ways to score he has some tricks.

He probably lacks the speed that'll get him a look in the NBA.

Good on him!

Great job by Delly to get these accolades, clearly been recognised for an excellent season!

In terms of nominating for the NBA Draft this year, I think he might be best to wait a year (unless he gets a first round guarantee).
Many of the college hoops/NBA draft experts are saying that the 2012 draft is possibly the deepest draft in a long time, with many of last years one-and-done players opting to stay an extra year due to the discussions of the impending lockout in the lead up to the 2011 draft.

IMO, with many of these quality players remaining on the radar of NBA scouts, the chances of an international player from a small school/conference getting a first round guarantee is pretty slim.

And the accolades keep coming for Matthew Dellavedova.

Delly has now been named as a member of the AT&T Midseason 30 Watch List for the Naismith Men's Basketball Player of the Year Award.

http://www.smcgaels.com//ViewArticle...CLID=205389332

The midseason 30 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the 2011-12 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy, presented by AT&T, will be awarded at the 2012 NCAA Men's Final Four in New Orleans.

Whilst he has not won yet, last year's winner was Jimmer Fredette, and previous notable winners include Bill Walton, Johnny Dawkins, Tim Duncan & Kevin Durant.

NBA teams should be looking at Dellavedova by now. He has such high IQ and is a great player! good luck to him in the future