A handful of ASU's finest athletes have come to crossroads of sorts in the last year.
Like many top collegiate athletes, these Sun Devils had to decide whether to forego their final season competing in the maroon and gold and turn professional, or remain in Tempe for an extra year at the risk of losing money.
It's a tough choice that men's basketball star Ike Diogu made just last week. He knew that if he stayed in the NBA draft, he likely would make millions. And he would not be stuck on another losing ASU squad, facing triple teams every night.
So Diogu elected to turn pro early and was selected No. 9 overall by the Golden State.
The choice might seem obvious to many observers, but Ike likely agonized over his decision. When Diogu originally declared for the draft in March, he didn't even hire an agent, leaving the door open for a return to ASU.
When his father told the media that Diogu intended to turn pro in early June, Diogu quickly held a press conference simply to say he hadn't made up his mind yet. And even after he made his final choice on the final day players could pull out of the draft, Diogu was in coach Rob Evans' office, dwelling on what he couldn't change.
We at The State Press appreciate Ike for a lot of reasons. His dominance as possibly the best ASU hoopster ever is certain. He never once caused a problem off the court, and he has an unquestionable love for ASU. But sorry, Ike. We think you made the wrong decision.
We know everyone important in your life was pushing you to turn pro, but you will never be able to get back that senior year of college, no matter how many millions you put away. This notion is something other top ASU athletes, such as football's Andrew Walter and baseball's Jeff Larish, have recognized. You should have realized it, too.
After his junior year, Walter was projected as a second-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft, but he stayed at ASU and enjoyed his finest season to date. Walter guided the Sun Devils to their best record in seven years, engineered a number of thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks and etched his name in college football lore by breaking John Elway's Pac-10 record for touchdowns in a career. Larish was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 13th round of 2004 MLB draft, but was offered a contract worthy of a second-round selection as leverage to not return to college. But Larish declined anyway and came back to the Sun Devils to - like Walter - enjoy his finest season yet. Larish led the nation in home runs, was pivotal in ASU's first College World Series appearance in seven years, and became the third player in college baseball history to hit three homers in a CWS game. Larish was taken in the fifth round of the draft this year, but will not sign as big a contract as he turned down a year ago.
Still, if Walter and Larish are as good as they believe themselves to be, they will have long professional careers without the uneasiness of knowing they traded their senior year of college for the umpteenth season of a pro career.
Had he stayed, maybe Diogu would have become the Pac-10's all-time leading scorer, or maybe he would have taken the Sun Devils to the Final Four. Now, we will never know.
