Without Charles Garcia, all hope for the Redhawks isn't lost

Whatever will the Redhawks do?


When the news broke that Charles Garcia, star forward and leading scorer for the men's basketball team, was declaring for the NBA draft this summer, most fans probably asked that question. We had a winning season, but now what? Is the team going to fall apart without the towering basketball machine that is Charles Garcia?


Hardly.


Garcia may have averaged almost 19 points and 8 rebounds per game and towered over the rest of his teammates, but the team was far from dependent on his skills. He was largely dormant in the team's 51-point rout of Oregon State University and wasn't a consistent starter in the second half of the season. While he puts points on the board, so do quite a few other players.


Fans shouldn't be worried—head coach Cameron Dollar also has uncanny recruiting ability. He was the man who first drew Garcia to the University of Washington, and there's no doubt he will continue to gather talented players for the Redhawks. In addition, the press that Garcia is getting over his decision will provide valuable visibility for the university. Basketball fans are reading about Seattle U more than ever before, and potential basketball recruits now know that Seattle U is capable of producing NBA-caliber players. 


However, just because Garcia leaving isn't going to destroy the team doesn't mean that declaring is a good idea. While it's clear that he's an effective shooter and is fast on the court, he's gotten in to quite a bit of foul trouble over the year. There is no doubt that he could use some more experience, and might be a better draft prospect with another winning season at Seattle U under his belt.


Despite what potential agents and the media might say about a potential first-round pick, Garcia has a lot of work to do to prove that he stands out among all the other draftees. He will be competing with players from conference schools who have been playing college ball for longer, against much tougher opponents. There's no arguing that a Pac-10 or an SEC schedule is quite a bit tougher than the Redhawks', and the scouts know that. A first-round pick would guarantee him a contract, but what if that doesn't happen? He could be stuck. He needs to show in the postseason that he has more potential than he's demonstrated so far.


Once Garcia hires an agent, that's it as far as his college basketball career is concerned—he won't be able to return to Seattle U whether he's picked or not. Garcia shouldn't necessarily take that step right away. It's entirely possible to test the waters—to declare and see what kind of interest he's given—but still have the possibility of returning to the Redhawks for another season. 


He doesn't need to do that for the team, but he should do it for himself.

Angelo may be reached at webmaster@su-spectator.com