Trent isnt even close to NBA ready. I'm a die hard BYU fan but lets be realistic, he's a 5th or 6th round pick at best and wont see any time in the NBA. If he stays for his senior year at the Y, I can see him going as high as the 1st round. But to say he's ready right now is not correct. He has to work on some things like..

Free Throws- 46% wont impress any NBA scouts
His Post moves- he does not have a go-to move, just that spin hook everyone caught on to.
All- Around Inside game- Once he can hit that 6-8 footer, he will be a real force.

Thinks Trent has going for him...

Boxes out well- very physical
Speed- Runs a 4.5 40. Kevin Love runs a 5.4

Please stay another year Trent, then you'll be ready

I just don't see it. There is little drop off when he is replaced by Miles. He needs to shoot 200 free throws a day for the next 200 days. Could you imagine how much better he would do if he shot 75% ft?

Are you serious harmon? seriouly? this is one of the worst articles i have read in a while from you and that is saying a lot. Trent is not an NBA player, yes he has a good body for the MWC, but not an NBA body. Yes he has good athleticism for the MWC, but not for the NBA. And most importantly he cannot shoot. Please tell me one semi successful NBA big guy with average to below average body and athleticism and cannot shoot a 20 ft jump shot. Oh ya no one. There are dozens of big guys in college right now that are better than trent. If he played in one of the big conferences he would be just anohter role player. So he played one good game against hansbourgh, guess what he is not going to last long in the NBA. Want to know about a good big guy from a mid major west coast school, named McGee from Nevada, ten times the pro propect as trent. More athletic, longer, can shoot the three ball and plays really good defense.

I just happened to talk to a Boston Celtics scout at the BYU/UNLV game. He said that Plaisted will not play in the NBA because he doesn't have an NBA body. YOU CAN'T TEACH SIZE. He got a lot of people looking at him just based on what Dick Vitale said about him but scouts have come to know what Plaisted is really all about. He's easily intimidated, plays with no passion, can't shoot freethrows and has no real game. Plaisted will never make it in the NBA.

Go onto Orlando buddy (if you even get invited.) But if so, go check it out, realize you're not NBA caliber, get over it (over should I say your fans can get over it), come back to BYU as a senior and have a good year with the Cougs. Not an NBA player. Horrible free throws, not big enough, post moves are none existent. Just my thoughts, but what do I know, I'm just the son of a former NBA scout.

Dick, your overview of Trent is dead on. Size, speed are pluses but unless he develops a mid-range jumper and can do more than go to his left hand, another year under his belt will not help his stock either.

When was the last time a senior panned out in the NBA anyway? Tim Duncan comes to mind but that was 10+ years ago and had no where near the flaws Trent brings with him.

NBA guys know how to take a team on their back in crunch time -- not do a dissapearing act in key ball games.

As a die-hard BYU fan, I enjoyed seeing Trent Plaisted develop this year.

Next year he will be part of a team with great talent in Tavernari, Cummard, and Fredette. Finally, BYU would have a solid chance to get to the top sixteen NCAA teams.

With the nation's longest home court winning streak, a good shot at three straight conference championships, and a probable national ranking, BYU would get a great deal more attention than they received this year.

Plaisted might be better off to finish his education, be part of a much better team, and refine his skills. If he averages twenty points and ten rebounds next year, he would even be the likely Player of the Year for the conference.

But . . . . this is a free country and he has the right to choose.

No way is he NBA ready. The physical tools are there, but from what I've seen in about 6-7 games this year is that he is not very versatile, can't hit FTs and jumpshots, plays poorly on defense, struggles against taller players and has an average basketball IQ at best. He needs 2 more years, but only has 1. He'll be playing in Europe.

Unless he goes to the NBA to lay bricks at new arenas, he's not ready. He does not have a soft jumper. He basically throws it up there. Too off and on. No good and the free throw line. Pretty good defender but in the NBA? NOT ready! To even think about trying the NBA would not be the right move, not even close. If you want to talk who is closer to being ready, check out the twin seven footers from Stanford. They are closer, but also not ready. Trent, you need to stay. BYU will enjoy your services for another year. You will not regret the time nor the easy schedule next year on your way to the tournament for another once and done Big Dance scenario.

I think Plaisted's only chance as NBA prominence would come from a solid senior season at BYU - one that ends with a few wins in the NCAA Tournament ~ which is more than likely considering the team they have coming back.

Trent NBA? I worry about him making BYU next year. Dick Vital? I worry about him--he may be ready for assisted living.

Not this year, not ever. It is frustrating to watch somone of his size shoot the ball from his shoulder and always in always falling to his side. He also does not have the strength to make it at the next level. Oft times, BYU looked better with him on the bench. He better return to BYU and be grateful for his scholarship.

April Fool's Day is next week.

Well Trent could place a call to SLC and ask the UTE Coach (who has the NBA ties you mention) and he would get an honest NBA evaluation of his skills and where he would be in the draft. But Trent better do it soon - Utah is in the "elite eight" and still playing Basketball.

Trent needs another year under his belt. He has become a miserable free throw shooter. His hook shot is not that good. He needs some more weight and needs to learn how to shoot 6-10 feet out. Right now he would be at best a 6th round and may only last at best one year in the NBA.

He also needs to learn how to jump a little higher. Shawn Bradshaw could jump 1 inch at his best. Trent needs to be able to jump 8-10 inches and learn how to block shots.

We saw him basically disappear when teams had strong defenses, ie. UNLV, Wake Forest, Michigan, San Diego. He didn't fare well in most of those games.

He would be making a big mistake trying to go pro. Trent you owe it to yourself to improve your skills for one more year and then if you continue to improve you could go as high as a 2-3 pick, with an outside chance of a #1 pick.

LOL - right...

Plaisted won't be ready for the NBA next year either. He may be strong and fast for a big man, but he's not athletic at all. He's awkward and doesn't have a shooting stroke. He's probably already been shooting 200 free throws a day for the past 5 years and still makes less than 50%.

Even if he declared for the draft, he'd still probably go undrafted. If some team did gamble on him in the late 2nd round, he'd have a non-guaranteed contract, be lucky to make the team, and at best would spend 1 year on the bench, and then his NBA career would be over.

You're nowhere near ready, Trent. Stay for your senior season with Cummard (a far better player than you) and J.T. Diggity-dog Tavernari, and focus on winning the conference, the conference tourney, and perhaps a game in the dance.

Trent needs a lot of improvement to make it in the NBA. His best bet is to come back and take his team deep in the NCAAs next year.

Trent, I appreciate all you've done but you need at least one more year of seasoning to be NBA ready.
Add a little weight (weight room), work on your free throws and learn to move to the right and you'll be
a better player and will do better in the NBA draft
as a result. Thanks for a good year and all you do.

Leave please. I am entirely sick of BYU basketball at this point. If he goes, that assures us no chance at making the tournament which equals no chance of fans being disappointed yet again. We can't compete in our pathetic conference. They either need to schedule late season non-con games against big school opponents on the road, or they need to give up entirely.

And to Tyler Haws, go to a school that can actually win a NCAA tournament game. BYU is a waste of time.

Trent can get in on the first round. In the NBA it's all about workouts. He could impress teams with his skills. Early in the year, a top national expert called him the best player in college basketball. Even though his conference year has been less than stellar, that doesn't mean he can't do well in workouts.

If Araujo can be a lottery pick, Trent can be as well.

Does anybody talk about degrees anymore? Isn't that why a student/athlete goes to school?

Trent Plaisted is not ready for the NBA. Play his Senior year and get his degree hopefully and go from there. Everyone would be happy, especially BYU.

1st there are only two rounds in the Nba! Realistically he is a 2nd round player, and most of it is based on potential. His post moves need a ton of work...every game he throws up a bunch of wild, off balance shots that really make him look bad. If he can fool a second tier center into thinking he is going to his right, and they severely overplay on his right shoulder, he can pivot back to his left, and get a little baby hook off going back to his left, but that is about it. Someone should tie his left hand behind his back, and force him to go to his right. I was thinking someone at the Y would work with him, and balance out his game prior to the season, but his game has completely stagnated...to me it is almost painful to watch his post game, and for as athletic as he is, his footwork is really not very good...and I am a big Y supporter. Trent I am just being honest...you're not ready, and unless you expand your game you will be playing in the Phillipines.

Its pretty clear. He is not ready and will be a bust next year. Good to med college player.

Trent needs to come back for another year to work on his free throws, late game conditioning and begin to develop a jump shot. he has the tools, he just needs to polish up and add a few dimensions to his game and he'll be a first rounder next year.
Go Cougars!!

Can you say Luke Staley?

next year, at best he is a second round NBA pick. If he comes out this year, he will end up in Korea, Turkey, or some South American league. He is not ready for the NBA and if he thinks otherwise, he is kidding himself.

He is not going to go from a 5th or 6th round to a first rounder next year. His stock is basically where it was 2 years ago. He needs to play in a real system to improve. Playing the post in BYU's jack up the 3 system is not going to help any big man.

Trent's biggest problem is that he doesn't play to his height. He's plays 6'5" in a 6'11" body. He needs to get much stronger (esp. on offense), learn to extend his arms and go over people instead of around them all the time. He also needs to develop an 8-10 foot jumper. He has amazing athletic ability. Another year in college, in the weight room and with proper coaching to teach him to play big and long, might make him a legit 1st rounder. Right now the best he could hope for is a team risking a 2nd round pick on a project that might pan out a couple of years. GO COUGARS!!!

Not even...Plaisted is not an NBA caliber center, he might make a little money for a year or two, but he would play very little, and when he does play he will get eaten alive. Stay at BYU Trent, improve your shooting--all phases of your shooting, and maybe you'll get drafted next year.

4.5 40? That's a good one.

The Blue Kool Aid must be strong these days.

Plaisted is a good college player. But he has no chance this year in the NBA. Maybe the DLeague, but not the NBA.

Get your degree, kid.

Think about it, Dick! How many NBA people have ever seen him play? The grand pooh-bahs of the MWC have kept their players from getting any legitimate exposure, so Trent has had no chance to attract any NBA attention. Not a chance.

The NBA has two rounds. He may as well test the waters this spring, he is a great athlete and may get some attention. If he does not go to the draft he can come back for his senior year, like Carroll at USU last year.

Trent Plaisted NBA ready??? Now that's a good joke. He's not even close to being an NBA caliber center and I'm not sure he ever will be.

He has the physical skills but he needs to be much more tougher mentally if he plans to take his game to the next level.

By the way "Not Ready" there are only 2 rounds in the NBA draft not 5 or 6.

pLEASE. HE IS GOOD BUT NOT THAT GOOD. COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY - JUST ABOVE AVERAGE. LOOK AT THE COMPETITION HE HAS PLAYED. THE NBA WILL NOT EVEN LOOK AT HIM ON A LONG TERM BASIS. UNFORTUNATELY WE PUT THESE PLAYERS ON A PEDESTAL AND THEN THEY THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE.

IF HE WERE THAT DEDICATED TO THE NBA THEN HE WOULD LEARN TO SHOOT FREE THROWS.

Some GMs draft on potential. Darko Milicic over Melo and D Wade is a prime example. It doesnt matter if he is NBA ready or not. The issue is whether a GM will see enough upside. Why let someone develop in college for one more year and risk having his stock rise when you can draft him and throw him in the D League to become NBA ready? Some teams will be willing to make that investment. He does have some intangibles that few big men have. A top notch coach can then decide if he has any room for improvement. Can they teach him to have a higher release on his left jump hook? Can he add more muscle? Can he learn to face up and consistently hit the 10-15 ft. jumper?
What if he gets hurt his senior year? Better to get some money than nothing. I hope Trent stays one more year. I am just saying, it doesnt matter whether he is ready or not, it is whether he can get a guaranteed contract (1st Round).

Trent not only needs to shoot at least 200 foul shots a day,he also needs to have a softer shot on his inside field goal tries. He's only good playing the smaller players which are not found in the NBA. Hang in there and sharpen up a few things-then maybe.

Thank you for showing how knowledgeable Y fans are.

He's a 5th or 6th round pick? Sorry, bud. The NBA has just two rounds. This isn't the NFL.

And Kevin Love runs a 5.4?? I'm not sure where you found that nice statistic - but I'm sure it's alright for you to make up facts. Slow offensive linemen run forties faster than 5.4 - and you're saying a versatile big-man who has made opponents look silly with his defensive quickness and ability to drive on offense - runs a 5.4 forty?

Thanks for the laugh.

At the beginning of the year, I thought he was going to go in the first round and then who could blame him for leaving early, but his performance in the NCAA tournament earned him another year in college.

BTW, there aren't 5 or 6 rounds in the NBA draft, there are two. And Big Men are at a premium, so I would guess he would still get drafted pretty high, although ESPN was predicting late first round before the tourney and historically players don' t like coming out early unless they can guarantee a first round draft because that results in a "guaranteed roster spot".

Trent can't be serious about the NBA, he is no where ready and most likely he will never be NBA material. He can't move to his right, he can't hit FT, he is a OK rebounder in MWC and his defense is so-so. Play your senior year, get your degree, see if you can help BYU get pass the first game in the NCAA and then move on with your life.

I agree, and I'm amazed that there is even an article about it.
Well, maybe I'm not. This was the second article I read this morning because it caught my attention, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

First of all the NBA draft is mad up of two rounds. Trent would likely go undrafted or someone might gamble and take him late in the second round. I don't ever see this kid being a first round pick in the NBA. For his size, he doesn't rebound as well as he should. He has no touch to his shot, his post game is very un-polished as his best move is to throw it up and pray it goes down. Kevin Love would absolutely dominate Trent. Where did you get your 40 time stats?

Trent in my mind may not even be the best pro prospect on his team. That may very well be Cummard. In the conference he is likely the 4th or 5th best pro prospect. Giddens, Nevill, Cummard and the Freshman White from SDSU are ahead of him as far as actual pro potential. What a ridiculous waste of time for a story.

Not even Close...........
Needs to develop an arch on his 2 ft. hooks. Any 6'6" guy that can jump could block his shot. No outside shot. If he doesn't improve he might not make a good "ward" team.
I think Miles might beat him out if he stays another year though. What a quandry..........Don't look over your shoulder Trent.......

Plaisted's road to the NBA will be a very long one, if he gets there at all.

Where is there a scenario that gets him drafted in the first round? Without guaranteed money, how does he get beyond a summer league?

It looks like Europe is a possible solution.

He's got to learn to face the basket, shoot the basketball, make big shots in game deciding situations, grow his game year by year.

He needs a senior year to be ready to play overseas.

Unless I was watching the wrong Trent Plaisted play against Texas A&M, he needs to stay and get better.

Hey trent learn to make you free throws and then learn how to go left and right. If you had beat the ranked teams you would be ready to go NBA but you did not. Unless your game improves a ton next year I dont think you will even make a team and if you do you will ride the pine. Ask Bradley if he should have left early. Maybe thats not a fair question if I had Roger Ried as my coach I would have never gone to BYU. Oh how I miss Frank Arnold!

You must not have read the article. the guy pretty much said plaisted is not ready. He won't be ready until he can hit mid range shots. then at least he could play power forward. He isn't NBA talent (yet?)

he isnt an nba player. not even close to be honest for all the reasons everybody has mentioned. no mid range game and everything for that matter. no way an nba talent. but will be able to make a european squad and make 50 grand playing ball.

I don't think he will ever be ready for the NBA, I love the cougs but he is nowhere close to even be competitive in the NBA. He should be dominate in every game, not just one game a month.

I thought Cummard was BYU's best player. Where is his article about the NBA? Or did he already sign with an agent?