Deseret News | Ex-Ag Carroll shines in NBA rookie debut

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Ex-Ag Carroll shines in NBA rookie debut

Ing | 3:30 a.m. July 8, 2008

Hmmm... I seem to remember an article not long ago that brought out a lot of people guaranteeing Carroll would never crack an NBA roster.

Time will tell in the end, I guess...

But in the meantime, 22, 7, and 5 looks like an okay start.

Shaf | 5:39 a.m. July 8, 2008

I won't make any predictions, at this point, as to whether Carroll will stick in the NBA or not. However, having followed him throughout his career at Utah State, the guy has guts, heart, and a work ethic that are hard to find. If he does stick, he won't be the first NBA player to surprise the so-called "experts".

Dieter | 7:39 a.m. July 8, 2008

Playing against Rookies, Has Beens, and Wannabes isn't impressive...

And summer leagues don't count as an NBA roster (really). It is more like summer school for their recent draftees. It gives the coaches a chance to see how bad their draft picks really are.

Comments continue below

Aggie | 8:11 a.m. July 8, 2008

It may not be impressive to play against "Rookies, Has Beens and Wannabes"..... but if you are better than the rookie a team drafted then I'd say ;you have a good chance of being signed by someone!

dyedblue | 9:00 a.m. July 8, 2008

Jaycee had exactly 6 more rebounds than the Nets first round center. He also had 22 points and 5 dimes. He was also playing a position that he never played at Utah State. I think it is fair to say he had a great game. If he can pull off 7 more like this one NJ will be his new home. The competition argument is weak and it gets old. Is it that hard to say the guy played well and give him some credit for the hard work that he has put in?

Dave | 9:12 a.m. July 8, 2008

Deiter....I'm sure failure in your life makes it easy to assume the worst for everyone, but Carroll will make a roster and once again prove all the naysayers wrong. He's a great kid with a great work ethic and deserves all the best. Deiter, there are plenty of other overacheivers you can find to discredit and I'm sure you'll feel better about yourself in doing so.

Summer League | 9:28 a.m. July 8, 2008

JC is a great player and a great person. I've coached Basketball for years and he was one the best high school players I have ever watched or coached against. Same thing some of you are saying, "its just high school". No one recruited him. He just went on to be the leading scorer in USU history. I'm the biggest Deron Williams fan there is but I watched him just get tore up his first summer league here by whatever you call those players. What both these guys have going for themselves is tremendous skill, confidence, work ethic and coach ability. JC will never be a Deron but don't bet your mortage he won't make it either. Go JC

Dieter | 9:40 a.m. July 8, 2008

Yo' dude...Let's see how many games it take anybody from byu to score that many points, get that many rebounds and assists against wanna be's

GO JC!!!

What more can he do? | 9:43 a.m. July 8, 2008

Nobody said that Jaycee was going to be a all-star in the NBA (Not yet, anyway). However, the talent level in the summer leagues is nothing to dismiss so quickly either. It is a step up from college competition in most cases: New Jersey's roster includes Chris Douglass-Roberts, Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Maurice Ager, and Sean Williams. And 22/7/5 is never anything to laugh at. All he can do at this point is contine to play a good all-around game. He wasn't drafted, so he needs to make a really good showing in the summer league to get a camp invite (any team can invite him to training camp). When he gets a camp invite (and if he puts together a few more games like this he will) he stands a decent chance of making a roster and landing a contract. It's a long hard process, but Carroll is doing all the right things. He has faced critics around every turn in his basketball life, and I will enjoy watching him silence them again!

ZEKE | 9:50 a.m. July 8, 2008

It`s good to Jaycee played well hope he keeps it up. It would be nice if he could stick with a NBA team.

TheHailstorm | 9:50 a.m. July 8, 2008

I wounld't mind if they had him in a Jazz uniform and waive goodbye to Hart.

UteNation | 9:53 a.m. July 8, 2008

What a great showing by Jaycee. I would love to see this guy make an NBA team and if he can keep playing this way, he is sure to do so. Best of luck Jaycee.

Observer | 11:49 a.m. July 8, 2008

Good point, Hailstorm. Carroll is wayyyy better than Hart. Some NBA team, whether it is the Nets or someone else, will have a great find when they sign Jaycee to a guaranteed contract.

Carroll Deserves a Shot | 12:25 p.m. July 8, 2008

Carroll will get a Europeon contract for sure. He deserves a shot at the NBA. He is "Rudy". We're pulling for you. A slow, white guy that can shoot and hussles. I remember a guy named Hornacek that fit all three of those criteria. Who knows?

Pretty good | 12:41 p.m. July 8, 2008

Very good debut even though we have to put in perspective. It was in the summer league against other rookies. But those rookies were highly touted and a bunch of first round picks were playing. Good job JC. He has to keep playing at this level in order to have a shot at an NBA roster. Lets hope he does. Go Aggies

Anonymous | 1:22 p.m. July 8, 2008

He was the best college player in the state of Utah last year. Plaisted and Cummard have nothing on Carroll.

Anonymous | 2:36 p.m. July 8, 2008

Cut Hart sign Jaycee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Utah Jazz could use another local boy. What good does Hart do on the bench??? Jaycee would offer a lot more than Hart can.

Ing | 3:10 p.m. July 8, 2008

I don't live in Utah anymore, so all I know about Carroll is what I've read in the DesNews...but I do know that even in the summer league, you gotta have serious game to put up numbers like that.

Odds are he won't be able to put up those same numbers every time out, but if he can bring that type of game on a consistent basis, he's going to make a lot of teams wish they'd drafted him. Who knows, maybe comparison to guys like Hornacek or Harpring isn't too far off.

Like I said before, time will tell.

Anonymous | 3:57 p.m. July 8, 2008

anyone calling jaycee carroll a 'slow' white guy has never seen him play.

Re: Anonymous | 6:47 p.m. July 8, 2008

I've seen Carrol play multiple times. He's a slow, white guy that hussles. He was also not the best player in the state of Utah. He was only the best player in Logan.

Haha | 8:39 p.m. July 8, 2008

Seriously? Slow? Seriously? You can't really be serious. Yeah, he was an all state track star in high school and runs something like a 4:40 mile. I bet there are just a small handful of players in the NBA who can do that. He has great sprint times too, though I don't remember what they are. If he went to the NBA he would be one of the top 20 most conditioned players. He was in the top 5 most conditioned players in college basketball last year, without a doubt. He was possibly the most conditioned. He beat every player working out for the Blazers in sprints and had the highest verticle jump there. If he's slow I'd love to see fast.

Agreed | 10:34 p.m. July 8, 2008

BYU is used to slow white guys, so they assume all white guys are slow.
As for the competition, isnt JC a rookie as well. So to put up numbers like that against your peers says something.
And theres no question that JC was the best player in Utah.
Only if BYU wouldn't have snubbed JC out of high school, they would have two MWC Tourney championships to brag about.

Nick@USU | 2:04 p.m. July 9, 2008

Just moved here a year ago and only saw him play a couple of times...but this kid can shoot the lights out and drive the lane. He's quick and can create his own shots. He could be a Steve Kerr, only quicker and able to drive the lane. Don't count this guy out just because he didn't get drafted.

Congrats to JC | 11:30 p.m. July 11, 2008

JC was voted 2nd team All-Summer league for the Orlando Summer Camp. Pretty good considering each of the 6 teams had multiple draft picks from last year and this year on their squads. I watched some of the games online and for running the point for the first time in his career, he did a decent job. He had some great quick moves and out-hustled many of the other players. He had a sweet two handed dunk in one of the games. I hope he makes a roster in the league, even if he is a 12th man. He doesn't have nearly the height that Plaisted or Cummard has and not to take anything away from them, but JC is definitely a better basketball player.

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