Marquette News, Ray Mernagh

MAYMON DONE BEFORE HE BEGAN

by RAY MERNAGH

There will be plenty of reasons, excuses and justifications given for Jeronne Maymon’s decision to quit on his Marquette team nine games into his first college season.

In fact, three of them are already flying around cyberspace thanks to the young man’s verbose father.

Buzz Williams wasn’t delivering on his promise.

The kid was playing out of position.

His talents weren’t being utilized correctly so it was time to move on.

Blah, Blah and Blah…but let’s address them anyway.

One — Hard to believe Williams promised anything other than a chance to compete for minutes, possibly a starting position, if it were earned.

Two — Lazar Hayward is an all Big East player that’s spent a good part of his career playing out of position. Funny thing is Maymon probably stood to inherit a great deal of those minutes next year if he worked hard this season.

Three — He’s a freaking freshman not even a month into his first season! Anthony Crater anyone?

Maymon was averaging 4 points and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes of playing time. This for a team that’s trying to ignore low expectations, stay in the upper-half of the Big East, and maybe grab an NCAA Tournament bid. There are three players on Williams’ roster who have earned every single minute he can give them — Darius Johnson-Odom, Jimmy Butler and Hayward — all the rest seem quite willing to fill roles and work towards the previously stated goal. They seem willing to be a part of a team. How Maymon, after nine games, came to the decision he cannot be a part of that team speaks volumes. It’s a huge mistake to quit, even if things aren’t working out, you play hard until March, sit down with Williams and part ways with your head held high (and the respect of your teammates and ex-Coach). You do it the way a Madison Spartan, the AAU program Maymon played for, is supposed to do it.

The following are listed as Goals and Outcomes of the program on it’s website: “Improve player’s life choice decision making skills and promote teamwork as a way to learn delayed gratification, selflessness, commitment, communication problem solving and conflict resolution.”

Maybe Maymon wasn’t paying attention? Maybe there’s been some “feelers” coming from other programs? Maybe Daddy Maymon needs to let go? The first two are entirely possible, the last is a stone-cold fact.

Maymon is throwing away a full season of experience in the Big East and bringing his ability to be a good teammate into question — and that’s putting it lightly, everything about this yells headcase to other coaches (although that won’t stop several from taking him). But you know the biggest thing Maymon is throwing away? The opportunity for that light bulb moment to happen for him.

At some point in January or February there will come a time when Marquette needs something to get over the hump in a crucial Big East game. Maybe four or five 12-footers from the elbow. Maybe a Blair-type effort on the offensive boards to offset dismal shooting. Maybe a passer to find cutters along the baseline or just a mismatch screaming to be exposed in the post. All of those are scenarios that Maymon seems capable of stepping up and filling, of realizing how great it feels to help a team in the Big East steal a huge win in the middle of the conference grind.

But Jeronne Maymon won’t have the chance to answer that challenge.

Because he quit.

And that’s sad.

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