Breaking News -- Willingham Transfers To Unt

[NCMeanGreen]

From Vito's Blog:

August 23, 2007 - Breaking news -- Willingham transfers to UNT

North Texas head coach Johnny Jones added the final piece to what turned out to be an impressive recruiting class on Thursday when former DeSoto standout Dez Willingham transferred to UNT.

Willingham began his career at Kansas State and spent the next two seasons at SMU. The 6-0 guard has already graduated and will take advantage of an NCAA rule that allows student-athletes who have already earned their degrees and still have a year of eligibility remaining to transfer and become immediately eligible.

For more on Willingham, see tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle

Edited August 24, 2007 by NCMeanGreen

[Green Means Go!]

I think this is great. It gives us added depth at PG. With Dez and Ben....we might be able to redshirt Josh White---especially if he's still dealing with his injury.

Also, since Dez is a senior, he's not a signee who will be taking up scholarship space past this season. I see this, as a no lose situation.

[greenminer]

from SMUathletics. Sounds like he was coming into his own as the season came to a close. Note the bold:

2006-07 (Junior): Played in all 31 games with 14 starts...averaged 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.00 assists, and 0.61 steals...shot 82.9 percent (34-41) at the free throw line...had 5 double-digit scoring games...led the team in assists 7 times...Best Stretch: In the last 8 games of the season, averaged 35.6 minutes, 9.3 points, 2.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and had a 1.4 ast/TO ratio while shooting 31.5 percent from (17-54) from 3-point range...Team Rankings: 1st ast/TO ratio (62 ast/39 TO, 1.59), FT Pct (.829); 5th steals (19 total, 0.61 avg.)...Big-Time Shot: Hit a 3-pointer from the left-wing as time expired for a 64-62 win at TCU on Dec. 21...Note To Remember: Started last 13 games of the season...Game Highlights: Had 11 points and 4 assists in C-USA Tournament opener against Southern Miss 3/7...Scored 9 points on 9-9 FT against Tulsa 2/28...Had 11 points and 3 assists in 40 minutes at UTEP 2/21...Had a season-best 14 points, including a career-best tying 4 3-pointers, along with 2 assists and a steal against East Carolina 2/17...Contributed 7 points, 3 assists to 0 turnovers, and 2 steals at Marshall 2/14...Had 9 points and 4 assists against Rice 2/10...Added 6 points, 2 assists, and a steal at [11] Memphis 2/3...Had 6 points and 3 assists at UAB 1/31...Scored 11 points and was 3-4 on 3FG with 2 assists against Texas-Pan Am 1/4...Had 3 points, all on the game-winning 3-pointer from the left wing as time expired, as well as 6 assists and 3 boards in the 64-62 win at TCU 12/21...Added 5 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds against Texas College 12/3...Had 6 assists and 4 rebounds against La-Monroe 11/22...Added 7 points against Dayton 11/18.

[CMJ]

It helps us solidify this year, and we don't have a commitment to him beyond that. A total win, win for JJ.

[NT03]

F***IN A' MAN!!

This is great , IMO he will step right in a start over Bell.

http://kansasstate.rivals.com/viewprospect...361&sport=2

http://kansasstate.scout.com/a.z?s=173&amp...&nid=220677

[meangreenacct]

No way he starts over Bell, but I think he will definitely be the backup over White. This will give us a chance to bring along white slowly and allow any previous injuries to heal 100% before pushing him into action. This is a great pickup for the reasons stated above, fills a need and doesn't require a future commitment on our part that may cause us to miss out on a better prospect.

[Cooley]

I think this is great. It gives us added depth at PG. With Dez and Ben....we might be able to redshirt Josh White---especially if he's still dealing with his injury.

Also, since Dez is a senior, he's not a signee who will be taking up scholarship space past this season. I see this, as a no lose situation.

Green Means Go hit this on the head a few months ago! Great pickup!

[GrandGreen]

I didn't think this was a good pick-up when McCoy was supposed to come here, but now it certainly looks a lot better. Once more NT should be very deep at the point.

[NT03]

<H3 class=entry-header>A little more on Willingham</H3>North Texas men's basketball coach Johnny Jones added the last player to a six-man recruiting haul on Thursday when former DeSoto guard Dez Willingham signed with the Mean Green.

Willingham received a waiver from the NCAA and will be immediately eligible because he has graduated from SMU and is enrolling in a graduate program not offered by his former school.

Landing Willingham should be a boon for UNT, which was looking to bolster a backcourt that lost several key players after last season, including Calvin Watson, Kendrick Davis and Rich Young. Jones said Willingham can play both guard spots and could play off the ball quite a bit at UNT.

UNT lost recruit Ryan McCoy to NCAA eligibility issues and will now have another option when it looks to rest starting point guard Ben Bell.

In an interesting side note, Jones said one reason he thinks Willingham will play several minutes at shooting guard next season is the development of Josh White. The former Baton Rouge, La., Christian Life Academy guard appears as if he will be an impact player as a freshman.

From ViTo'S BLog

[Cooley]

Now hopefully Dez can help talk fellow DeSoto teammate Rod Flemings to sign with UNT in November.

Go Mean Green!

[Censored by Laurie]

This is how you use a scholarship to add depth!!! Dez will push Ben for minutes...maybe not a starting role but its who finishes a game thats more important. I also like the idea of allowing Dez to slide to the two every once in a while and let him be a scorer as well...would make a very quick backcourt. I don't think you redshirt Josh White because of this though...IMO he needs to get in to a couple of games to acclimate himself to the speed of the college game...as it stands now, the PG job is his in 2008 so he needs to be ready and game tested.

I love this move...a hired gun with no extended commitment. Gives us a very deep and versitile backcourt as talented as any in the belt...and rivaling most of the state outside of Austin and College Station. Great job JJ.

[Green to the Bone]

His stats are very nice. But what I like best is the pony thievin':

Willingham began his career at Kansas State and spent the next two seasons at SMU.

PONY UP!

[ADLER]

Good call Green Means Go!

It's nice to see this player get to Pony Up to a NCAA Tournament team.

[El Paso Eagle]

His stats are very nice. But what I like best is the pony thievin':

Willingham began his career at Kansas State and spent the next two seasons at SMU.

PONY UP!

Just wondering - why did he not stay at SMU???

[Censored by Laurie]

Just wondering - why did he not stay at SMU???

I think the public answer is he wanted to go into a grad program that wasn't offered at SMU...thats the transfer loophole that allows him to play this season.

Whether thats the REAL reason he left...not sure.

Edited August 24, 2007 by Censored by Laurie

[chrisfisher]

I think the public answer is he wanted to go into a grad program that wasn't offered at UNT...thats the transfer loophole that allows him to play this season.

Whether thats the REAL reason he left...not sure.

You mean offered at SMU?

[Censored by Laurie]

I think the public answer is he wanted to go into a grad program that wasn't offered at SMU...thats the transfer loophole that allows him to play this season.

Whether thats the REAL reason he left...not sure.

Fixed

[GangGreen]

Just wondering - why did he not stay at SMU???

$$$$$$$$

Just Kidding!

[Green to the Bone]

Salary cap.

[BleedGreen]

Perhaps the best thing about signing Willingham that has not been mentioned is that it allows Collin Dennis to think solely about playing shooting guard and scoring, scoring, scoring. I am telling you that Dennis is probably the best pure scorer we've had in a guard since Chris Davis.