Should they stay or should they go?
NCAA’s extra year of eligibility means decision time for some Hurricanes
With Miami Hurricanes football seniors recently finalizing plans on whether to return to college for the extra year of eligibility the NCAA has granted athletes, basketball players will soon be faced with similar decisions.
As Miami (6-7, 2-6 ACC) is past the halfway point of the season with a 6 p.m. home tip against Notre Dame forthcoming on Sunday, Hurricanes coach Jim Larrañaga updated reporters on Friday on where his seniors stand.
Preseason All-ACC guard Chris Lykes must’ve initially approached the season thinking it was his one last chance in college before seeing where he fits professionally, but the 5-foot-7 dynamo hasn’t played since Dec. 4 (left ankle). Missing so much of his senior season, could he opt for a mulligan in 2021-22?
“I have had that conversation with Chris Lykes while he’s been hurt,” Larrañaga said, “and he hadn’t given any thought to his future yet.”
Lykes will be out again on Sunday as he remains in physical therapy, according to Larrañaga.
Kameron McGusty is a fifth-year senior in his second season with the Hurricanes after playing his
first two at Oklahoma and sitting out one in between for the transfer.
“He’ll graduate and, in all likelihood, have the opportunity to play professional basketball,” Larrañaga said. “I have not spoken to him about returning. I plan to do that after the season, not during.”
Redshirt senior center Nysier Brooks, a Cincinnati transfer, could have some business ventures in mind beyond basketball.
“One of the interesting things is Nas and I have been talking about developing a business plan for his cooking,” Larrañaga said. “He’s looking at developing a website where he can teach cooking online to other students and student-athletes who live off-campus, do not have a lot of money,
have a small budget and have to cook for themselves and shop for themselves. Whether Nas would seriously consider coming back or pursue the option — I’m sure there’s going to be a ton of agents wanting to represent him.”
Larrañaga also said Brooks should earn his degree by the end of this year.
Forward Sam Waardenburg is out for the season (five months) with a broken left foot.
“He’s been at every practice. He travels to every game. He’s actually doing a terrific job working on his shot,” Larrañaga said. “He will have an opportunity to go back home to New Zealand or Australia and play professionally. He will probably consider the possibility of staying in school, which is what I’ve encouraged him to do because he’s still very young (21).”
Center Rodney Miller has had a right knee injury keep him out for the year.
“Rodney Miller, I know, was planning on earning his master’s degree this year and move on,” Larrañaga said. “With the injury, I was not going to bring up and discuss with him anything long term because we don’t know how that knee is going to respond to rehabilitation.”
Guard Elijah Olaniyi was originally supposed to sit out this year off his transfer from Stony Brook but was granted immediate eligibility midseason. Regardless, he can still return next year for what was set to be his original lone eligible season.
“We are hoping that he will return because he will probably need, as a transfer student, another semester in order to earn his degree,” Larrañaga said.
Forward/center Deng Gak is technically a redshirt junior, but after two season-ending knee injuries the previous two years that he still has to be careful with, it may not be worth the risk once he earns his degree in his senior year academically.
“In all likelihood, Deng will probably graduate and move on,” Larrañaga said. “Yesterday, he got some medical treatment for his knees that we’re hoping will give him a little more relief so he can practice and play more.”
Larrañaga said Willie Herenton, a walk-on guard, will graduate and move on.