I agree with colleague [Matt Tait’s opinion that Brannen Greene made the right decision][1] in leaving Kansas, but disagree that he did the right thing by declaring for the NBA draft and hiring an agent.
Transferring to a school that would have built its offense around his three-point shooting touch, spending two more years in school, improving his ball-handling, earning credits toward a graduate degree and proving he can go two years without a suspension, all would have served to pique the curiosity of NBA talent scouts, maybe even enough for him to earn an invitation to the NBA combine.
As it is, he was left off the guest list, despite having one of the prettier jumpers on the planet. He carries the baggage of never having established himself as a major-minutes player, the baggage of multiple suspensions.
Greene wasn’t the right player for Bill Self and Self wasn’t the right coach for Greene. But that doesn’t mean that with a long look in his mirror and fresh start, he could not have succeeded at another school.
Davidson and Wyoming are two programs that jump to mind as ones Greene could have explored as potential destinations. Davidson’s Jack Gibbs averaged 23.5 points per game as a junior, and averaged 18.2 shots, 7.9 from beyond the three-point line. Wyoming’s Josh Adams averaged 24.2 points, 16.1 shots and 8.4 three-pointers in his junior season. Greene could have practiced with either player for a year then inherited the available shots.
Those are just two examples of schools that might have been interested. An NBA franchise would be more interested in Greene coming off a stellar senior year. He wasn’t going to get that at Kansas, where he had exhausted his chances.
Transferring would have required patience, a quality in short supply among basketball players seeking paychecks.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale-tait/2016/may/11/did-brannen-greene-make-the-right-decisi/