For the past week, Syracuse fans sounded off on Donte Greene’s decision to enter his name in the NBA Draft. The reaction has been full of venom. This reaction has been misguided. Greene made a decision that was entirely practical.

You would have thought Greene never hit a jump shot, never helped Syracuse win a game and no NBA team will find him promising. And another year at SU will all of a sudden rectify his problems.

How nice of all these detractors to be looking out for Greene’s well being.

In online versions of two news stories from The Daily Orange reporting Greene’s decisions, reader comments call the SU star a ‘cancer,’ ‘the most useless recruit in school history’ and one who will ‘be out of the league in three years.’

The fans flooding the message boards and posted comments criticizing everything about Greene – from his shot selection to personality to his wardrobe – say this in the guise they care about Greene. They care about Syracuse basketball and view Greene as a means to a better end next season. This is the nature of being a fan. But it’s downright insulting to a player like Greene, who scored 17.7 points, grabbed 7.2 rebounds and embraced Syracuse fans at every turn.

Early indications suggest Greene is a surefire first-round pick. He might not be a lottery pick, but no doubt a first-round pick and likely somewhere in the teens. First-round picks receive guaranteed contracts. Based on the fixed rookie salary scale, the 15th pick in June’s NBA Draft will make $6,749,300 in his first four years. If he’s an absolute bust, he’ll make $2,807,7000 in guaranteed money for two seasons before he can come off the books.

With the way the NBA works, the major money is made on the second contract. So even if he takes two or three years to develop – like the Orlando Magic’s Rashard Lewis, a player Greene is often compared to – it will be the second contract or even the third contract that will push the money into eight digits.

The notion he can only improve his stock by coming back is erroneous. He will most certainly improve his game, but returning is a gamble – just as leaving is a gamble. Greene clearly has work to do to improve his game, but another year at Syracuse does not ensure he’s a more attractive prospect. There are so many factors. Consider:

[BULLET] One reason Syracuse fans want Greene back so badly is the prospect of next year’s team. With guards Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins returning from injury, freshmen Kris Joseph, Mookie Jones and James Southerland enrolling and everyone from this year’s team a year older, SU should have one of the strongest and deepest rosters in the Big East. Yet with more scorers, there is no guarantee Greene will still receive as many shots. Syracuse averaged 79 points per game this season. Some scoring averages will likely go down, but Devendorf will score 15-20-points per game. So unless Syracuse is scoring 100 points per game next season, it’s doubtful Greene sees a big bump in his scoring.

[BULLET] If Greene ever needed a reason to worry about coming back, Syracuse’s rash of injuries might shoot to mind. Both Devendorf and Rautins tore their ACLs, ending their seasons and putting them on long rehab tracks. There were whispers before the season – with enough validity to warrant publishing on ESPN.com – that Devendorf was going to leave for the NBA after this season. The knee injury thwarted that attempt. Injuries are never planned, but they might be easier to take if the check is already cashed.

[BULLET] Coaches work in the NBA, too. If ball-handling and defense are areas Greene needs improvement, whichever team invests in Greene will no doubt work with him on these deficiencies. Drafting a freshman is almost always a risk. This hasn’t stopped teams in the past. In last season’s draft – one of the best drafts in years – eight freshmen were taken in the first round. Only one, Kevin Durant, has been a standout. The players drafted in the range Greene projects – Spencer Hawes, Thaddeus Young, Javaris Crittenton and Daequan Cook – are developing at different rates. All could have used another year of college to refine their games. In the NBA, though, they’re still receiving the personal instruction but without all the distractions of college. Plus, they’re getting paid to do it.

The most practical argument for Greene to return – and ironically, one seldom mentioned by the fans who want him back – is the 2009 NBA Draft appears weaker than the 2008 NBA Draft. Yet claims Greene can shoot himself into the Top 5 of the 2009 draft are entirely premature and a bit misguided. Even if the 2009 draft is not as stacked with American prospects, early reports are touting the international prospects in 2009.

Nonetheless, the best reason for Greene to enter the 2008 NBA Draft is that he [ITALICS]wants [/ITALICS] to enter the 2008 NBA Draft. One of the great parts of sports is it allows for argument and debate. Yet when reading the message boards, the comments on stories or simply listening to fans debate Greene’s stock, it’s as if he’s merely a character on television or in a video game.

Greene made up his mind. Ready or not, it’s his decision to make – not our decision.

Zach Berman is the featured sports columnist for The Daily Orange, where his column appears weekly. E-mail him at zberman@syr.edu.

Published on April 15, 2008 at 12:00 pm