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Peyton Siva asked Edgar Sosa about going pro

NCAA Final Four Kentucky Louisville Basketball

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino talks to guard Peyton Siva (3) during the second half of an NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball tournament game Saturday, March 31, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

AP

Peyton Siva had an important decision to make after his junior season.

The diminutive point guard had a largely up-and-down year, but he closed it with some of the best basketball he played in his time at Louisville. He not only led the Cardinals to the Big East tournament title, but he carried them all the way to the Final Four.

The performance probably wasn’t enough for Siva to lock up a spot as a first round draft pick, but it was impressive enough to force him to seriously consider whether or not he would be returning to school for his final year of eligibility.

Siva sought out advice from another former Louisville point guard, and the answer he got may not be quite what you would have expected.

Edgar Sosa had a fairly memorable season as a freshman at Louisville and nearly made the jump to the NBA afterwards. After returning to school, Sosa was never able to repeat the success he had in his first year in college. He stayed for three more years, going undrafted and finding himself under contract with an Italian team when he suffered a gruesome broken leg (WARNING: You may not want to click that link if you’ve just eaten)playing with the Dominican National Team.

While that’s far from a disappointing hoops career, that’s not exactly living the dream.

“He asked me, ‘If you could do it again as a freshman knowing the way your career played out, would you have entered?’ ” Sosa said.

On one hand, Sosa told him, you have to “strike while the iron is hot.” In retrospect, Sosa said he would have at least “tested the waters” after his freshman year before making a decision to turn pro.

But with the team that the Cardinals have coming back next season, Sosa told Siva he should return. Sosa said team success also matters in the draft.

“Edgar had been in my situation before, and I trust Edgar a lot. He gave me some great advice. He told me just finish it out,” Siva said. “I really look up to him. He’s been through the process and everything, and I really took his advice to heart.”


Frankly, Siva made the right decision. He needs to become a better shooter if he is going to have a lengthy NBA career, because at his size, finishing in the paint at the next level is not going to happen that often.

I also think Sosa made the right decision. If he couldn’t make the NBA after spending three more years in college, he wasn’t going to be making the NBA after his freshman season. At least now he’s laid up with the broken leg and a college degree.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.