Magic first round pick 11th overall wont play for the team

That's funny that he entered the draft even though he was still "thinking about it." He should have made his intentions known.

Crazy.

 

Looks like someone didn't do their due diligence properly...

 

¡¡¡AYYYY!!!

Things are pretty bad down in Orlando.

 

It's gotta be pretty tough to be a fan of the Orlando Magic.

 

"I've said `no,' because I was afraid to adapt to the American way of life... (WTF?)

"I'm not a coward, but I prefer to stay in Spain, progress, and who knows? Maybe jump to the NBA in a few years.''
_________

Maybe!? ~ Um, you're the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft - please have your dumb ass over here for the start of training camp.

Sincerely,
The Orlando Magic

 

Without knowing the full story, I don't see how one can blame the Magic for this.

 

Did you see this part:

How the heck can they somewhat "lose contact" with their no. 1 draft pick?

 

Poor Stevie.

 

Recently could mean the last week, the last two weeks. Alternatively, they could be calling him every day and the same thing would have happened but the quote would have been: "They've been calling me all the time, etc., etc. and I'm just not ready yet."

By all accounts this guy was telling them, and everyone else, repeatedly and consistently that he has super-excited to play in the NBA. Essentially, he lied. I'm not blaming him for not wanting to come - we can't expect every good basketball player to just pick up and leave their country, but he shouldn't have been so adamant about wanting to be here (America).

If it happened to the Rockets, I'd be so pissed - not at CD, but at Fran.

 

Looks like they were in denial until today, when Vazquez himself confirmed it...let's see what will happen (this article I am posting is older - but let's see if they can change his mind):

Magic deny report on Vazquez's status

The Orlando Magic are disputing a report on a Spanish-language publication/Web site that first-round draft pick Fran Vazquez may play for Real Madrid in his native Spain instead of coming to the NBA this season.

The report was published on AS.com, but it did not attribute the source, saying only that he could sign a two-year deal with Real Madrid.

"We fully expect him to be in our training camp this fall," said Scott Herring, Magic director of basketball administration. "We've been in contact with his agent almost daily, and we've heard nothing that would lead us in that direction. That would be 180 degrees different from what we've been hearing."

Vazquez has a buyout clause costing almost $1 million in the contract with his current Spanish team. The Magic said they are waiting only for the new collective bargaining agreement to be finalized next week -- which will specify how much they can pay toward the buyout -- before signing him.

Vazquez, a 6-foot-10 power forward, was the 11th pick in the 2005 draft last month. At age 22, he was expected to be one of the more ready-to-play draft picks.

His United States-based agent did not immediately return a phone message to comment.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...l28,0,7627409.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines

 

I think the NBA should start making rules against this. I think if you apply for the draft and get drafted, you should have more of a committment to that team.

Guys like Spanoullis and Ukic aren't big deals, since they were 2nd round picks and nothing was guaranteed to them. But Vasquez was a high pick and had a guaranteed contract, I don't think he should be able to turn right back around and say "Uh...maybe I'll just hang out a while before I go."

For a team in the lottery that is looking for immediate help, it's not right that they can get burned and having nothing that they can do about it.

 

It seems to me from the article that they only kept talking to his agents, but not to him.

 

IMO, the NBA league office should ban him for life if he doesn't change his mind and play for Orlando. I am sorry, but these actions should be severely punished to make sure it doesn't ever happen again. That idiot should've made his mind up loooooooong time ago before the draft took place.

Spoiled Spaniard. Either that, or he just changed his mind when he found out it will be tough for him to follow his Real Madrid soccer team while living here in the USA.

 

since orlando was kind enough to give us one of the best players of his time, i kind of feel bad for them. i don't know what kind of punishment could be put into place to prevent this since something as harsh as banning him from the league would still hurt the magic. they're not getting their draft pick back after all.

 

Let's not make the Magic some helpless victim here -- they evidently didn't do their due diligence into his contract situation and/or gonad presence. They will (presumably) hold his NBA rights for at least a year, probably more. In that time, he can't play for any other NBA team. Fair enough.

He didn't feel comfortable with the Orlando situation (for whatever reason) and decided he didn't wanna play with the team that drafted him. It's his right. This isn't Vietnam, and David Stern isn't Richard Nixon.

But if he gave the Magic his word he would play and then backed out, that's just pansy-ass bush league. Getting drafted doesn't obligate anybody to anyone, but giving someone your word obligates your honor. And a man is only as good as his word.

Bad karma, Frannie. Bad karma.

 

Actually he did not "enter" for the draft.

The rule stipulates that foreign players at 22 or below are automatically eligible for the draft.

So for being 22 at the time of the draft, Fran became automatically eligible.

 

there's gonna be a new rule now...once u commit to the draft, u will have to play in the NBA unless u have a prior contract w/ a euro team or the team that drafted him allows him to stay in europe.....

 

I am sorry but those Vietnam analogies are wrong. He HAD A CHOICE on whether he wanted to be in the draft. The soldiers DIDNT. So yeah I think the NBA should make you sign a preliminary contract saying that once you enter into the draft and are a 1st round pick you have to play for an NBA team. Demand trades all you want but you have to play in the NBA. This is r****ded, he wasted everyones time, a crap load of money, and most importantly a lottery pick for a team that is desperately trying to recover from years of bad luck. Barring injury, I dont think there is any reason not to play.

Also there are sooo many people in the world that work their ass off to have an opportunity like Frans. Like the guy Lakers drafted who needs heart surgery and his career is pretty much over. Frans deserves that fate and the Lakers guy deserves to live his dream of playing in the NBA and having a few groupies of his own.

I have no sympathy for people like Frans, Panzy.