Purnell Does Not Agree With Ogelsby Decision to Turn Pro |
Clemson head basketball coach Oliver Purnell was just finishing breakfast at Isle of Palms on Tuesday when he got a phone call from Tiger shooting guard Terrence Oglesby. Oglesby informed Purnell that after meeting with his family and discussing his future, he felt it was in his best interests to forego his final two seasons of eligibility so that he could professionally in Europe this coming season. It was an announcement that Purnell, who met with the media on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation, said caught him completely off guard. ”I was not expecting it,” Purnell said. “Things had gone very well as late as three days before I heard about this.” Purnell then went on to say that he appreciated Oglesby’s contributions the last two seasons, and while he certainly respected the decision to leave, he wishes he could have had more input during the decision-making process. ”I certainly appreciate Terrence,” Purnell said. “Over the past two years, he has certainly been impactful in terms of our success during the regular season and making the NCAA Tournament. I wish him nothing but the best since he has made this decision. It is a decision he made in concert with his family, and it is what it is. “No, I don’t agree with the decision, nor have I had a chance to think about it a whole lot in terms of pros and cons. Playing college basketball certainly can lead to different things, and we think we have the best environment for a young person to condition themselves for after college. That and the fact that I was not able to give him as much info as I would like and gather it. I certainly would have liked to have the chance to do some investigating and weigh in.” Oglesby appeared in 66 games and scored 777 points in his two seasons with the program, and may have taken the European route due to several different reasons, including the fact that he could make as much as $500,000 a year. He also has dual citizenship in Norway (where his mother was born), and because he has a European passport, he will not count against the “cap” that says teams can only have two United States citizens on their roster. Purnell, however, said that with the decision made, he is ready to move on and concentrate on next season. ”At this point, it is very important after today to focus on the young men in our program that will be back,” Purnell said. “I am excited about next year’s team, the ones that are turning as well as the incoming players, and we are going to bring that combination together as we move toward the fall.”
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