Basketball Adds Purdue Transfer Melvin Buckley

[Papa_Bull]

USF Men’s Basketball Adds Purdue Transfer Melvin Buckley  

TAMPA, Fla.  USF basketball coach Robert McCullum announced the addition of Melvin Buckley, a transfer from Purdue University, to the Bulls’ basketball program today (Wednesday, May 19).

Buckley, a 6-7, 205-pound guard/forward, will sit out the 2004-05 season and will have two seasons of eligibility.

“We are extremely excited to add a student-athlete like Melvin Buckley to our basketball program,†said McCullum. “He has distinguished himself first as a student in classroom and on the court we feel strongly he will be an outstanding addition to our program. He will sit out a year but then provide immediate experience to our team as we enter the Big East in the 2005-06 season."

Buckley averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds while playing 17.8 minutes per game as a sophomore. His freshman season statistics included 4.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 11.1 minutes per game.

“Melvin did a fine job acadamically and he also showed flashes of his capabilities on the court during his two years at Purdue. His strength is his ability to score from the perimeter. He is a very good transition player, he can shoot the three in transition, he can get the ball to the basket and finish. He will sit out a year, get stronger, and he has the ability to develop into an outstanding player in the Big East.â€Â

Buckley, a native of Chicago, played his final two prep seasons at Thornwood High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He averaged 13.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while earning all-state honors as a senior.

http://gobulls.usf.edu/Sports/News.asp?i=767&s=Basketball

Purdue's Melvin Buckley celebrates after his team's 80-56 defeat of LSU in the first-round.

[Markeymark]

Good deal!

Another shooter, which McCullum has shown he likes to recruit. He also has some size, and from the description sounds like he might be a little like Altron vis-a-vis perimeter play and transition.

[Velcro]

I don't know much about Buckley, but he is an NHS member, always a plus.

He's got some size, 6'7"  205, which we definitely can use, but he is a SF or SG, not a PF or C which is where we are hurting.  But i guess this is for the 04 05 season so by then maybe we can get a big east caliber player of two for the low blocks.  

[TripleB]

I zipped through campus yesterday to check out the new athletic digs and saw CRM walking from old ath office trailers over to new ones. He was with an obvious student and a couple of guys who could have been parents/coach. Must have been Melvin.

[Guest BasketBull.]

It's nice to have a new addition, especially with our Indian curse and all.

But ---- in one short article I see three references about his academic prowess:

....first as a student in classroom

....did a fine job acadamically... a member of the National Honor Society.

Great! I was also a NHS member and my basketball skills are nil!...

Well, I like him, being how late in the game for recruiting it is and all. But don't push us on his academics as his 'selling point'. Yes, school is very important, but we need a player!

(I'm rambling... I'm happy to have a new Bull on the men's team.)

[The Sheriff]

I agree with you basketbull! Let his academic accomplishments be known after he performs on the court! Who cares before then... a 4.0 GPA doesn't mean squat if the kid can't ball!

[Guest S.  Bien]

he did contribute at Purdue, and saw quite a bit of playing time as a sophomore, and junior.  That say something because Gene Keady is a tough coach, and doesn't put anyone on the court unless they are ready.

I like the addition.  It wasn't like we added some clean-up last minute recruit, that no one wanted.  We got a quality transfer that has a ton of versatility.  As someone stated on Bullseye, I guess it is pretty obvious that next year's class will be almost exclusively dedicated to landing some bigmen.  

[The_Reaper]

Question? Why is he transferring here? Problems at Purdue? Coach? Problem child? Hey don't get me wrong. We have that Midwest forward I was hoping for. Especially from Chicago!!! ;D And Terry, Thornwood  High in the city IS a Ballin school. Always a state threat. So I think it can be assured he has some game.  But why did he leave the Boilers? Nice to see him come here though.  

[Papa_Bull]

Here is an article written on March 28, 2004 which explains some of his reasons for leaving:

Buckley's leaving, looking for 'love'

BY BRIAN C. HEDGER

Times Columnist

The sampler platter arrives, but Melvin Buckley takes his time before eating.

The 6-foot-7 Purdue sophomore has bigger things on his mind. This lunch at a restaurant across from River Oaks Mall, his old stomping grounds, has one main purpose. He wants to talk about a decision to transfer.

Buckley, a Thornwood grad, talked about his decision with Purdue coach Gene Keady on Friday.

They both agreed a change was probably for the best. But for whom, Buckley or Keady?

Maybe both.

While Keady mulls a potential switch to the University of San Francisco, Buckley is set to leave West Lafayette after finishing out this semester. He's hoping to find greener pastures and more playing time.

"The coaching staff, as a whole, just didn't embrace my talents," he says, finally chomping into an onion ring. "That's the way I like to say it. They just didn't embrace me. I feel like, you know, maybe somewhere else I'll be ..."

Chris Searcy, a good friend, finishes his thought.

"Em-braced," he says. "Mel just wants to be ... em-braced."

Chris laughs. Melvin laughs. People sitting nearby chuckle.

"Yeah, man, I just want some love," Buckley says, smiling. "For once in my basketball career, I just want some love."

More laughs. More bites. Then, Melvin Buckley more serious than ever. This really isn't a laughing matter for him.

It's his collegiate career. Two years of eligibility are in the books. Only two, plus one season of sitting out, remain.

"In my basketball career, there always seems to be a problem," he says. "I haven't really had a coach yet who wants to develop my game. Don't get me wrong. I've learned plenty at Purdue. I enjoyed my time. But in the end, you've got to do what's best for yourself."

The best for Buckley is a switch. But where? Where will Melvin find his love?

Someplace like Miami (Fla.), perhaps? Marquette?

"I'd just like to find a place where I can come down the court, fire one up from 22 feet and not have people looking over my back like I'm crazy," he says. "They've got me on a short leash here. That's obvious."

Buckley's season totals don't support his complaint. He averaged just 4.8 points in 15.6 minutes. Even worse, his field goal percentage was a paltry 31 percent.

But if you divide his season into two parts -- before and after a loss to Oklahoma -- the stats support him. In five games before Oklahoma, Buckley averaged 21.8 minutes, 9 points and shot 45.7 percent from the floor. In 24 games after, his minutes decreased to 14, his points to 3.8 and he didn't play in four Big Ten games -- including Indiana at home.

Clearly, all was not well. Buckley's relationship with Keady isn't the problem, but the same can't be said for his assistants -- including former Boilers star Cuonzo Martin. Martin has a strong influence on Keady's playing rotation.

Buckley feels like his time may never come if he stays. Maybe he's right. Maybe someplace else will give him more love.

There's just no telling. For now, life for "Air-Mel" is a sampler platter and a good friend sitting across the table.

This column solely represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at bhedger@nwitimes.com.

***

On April 13th he was granted his release:

It's official: Buckley leaving Purdue

 

April 13, 2004

Sophomore Melvin Buckley has been granted permission to transfer from the Purdue men's basketball program.

The 6-7 Buckley, who attended Thornwood High School in Chicago, has not decided on a new school.

Buckley averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for the Boilermakers this past season.

"We wish Melvin nothing but the best," coach Gene Keady said. "

From Star special, news service reports

[Guest BasketBull.]

http://highschoolelite.com/news/7+21.html

Buckley to Purdue (2002 recruiting class)

By Frank Rusnak

   It feels just like yesterday when Melvin Buckley was playing in near obscurity at Marian Catholic. But since his venture to the South Holland school across the street from his house, the 6'7" Buckley has hit it big time.

   Teaming with current Chicago Bull, Eddy Curry to lead Thornwood to a near dream season, participating in the famed Chicago Pro/Am and now committing to the Purdue Boilermakers, Buckley has certainly moved up in the world.

"He causes a lot of havoc on offense with his outside shot, but then he could take it to the basket, too."

Mac Irvin

-On Buckley's game

   With the near 180-degree turn that his basketball life has taken since transferring to the Thunderbirds, Buckley feels that he wouldn't be as prominent of a name, blessed with the opportunities that have been given to him if it weren't for the change.

   "[Transferring from Marian Catholic] really made my game what it is today," said Buckley, a versatile wing forward. "Coming from the Catholic-mentality of playing basketball the one thing I took from there was really working hard. It really paid off in that respect. As far as becoming more of a shooter and slasher at Thornwood, that's what really started to elevate my game."

   While arriving onto an already established Thornwood squad with one of the nation's best players in Curry, Buckley certainly increased his time in the spotlight. Prior to the transfer, his name was a stranger to the area newspapers, but that all changed when his Thunderbirds tore through their regular season schedule and advanced all the way downstate to the Elite Eight, where they fell to Schaumburg in the state title game. Also, while Buckley was at Marian Catholic, college coaches were still just trying to grasp what this youngster had inside of him for the future. Little did many of the Midwest's elite coaches know that this smooth-shooting wing player would soon become a budding star familiar to the national limelight.

   However, one Big Ten college that foresaw the future better than their counterparts was Gene Keady's Purdue University. Showing mild interest in Buckley even when he was at Marian Catholic, the Boilermakers left a lasting impression with Buckley with their premature recruiting efforts.

   "I feel real comfortable about the decision [with Purdue]," said Buckley, who was also offered by Marquette, Ohio State, DePaul, Iowa and a slew of mid-majors. "[Assistant coaches] Jay (Price) and Cuonzo (Martin) have been blowing up the phone 24/7 [at the Buckley household]. There are some schools who recruited me who acted like they liked me, but Purdue made me feel like they really wanted me."

   Fine tuning his game against NBA players and future pro's in Chicago's Pro/Am League, Buckley is taking his game to the next level.

   "He was a little nervous in his first game at the Pro/Am," said Buckley's AAU coach Mac Irvin, who also coaches in the Pro/Am. "But the second time around he came on pretty good. You don't expect to move mountains in that type of league, but he's been playing better as time goes on."

   Teamed with such stars as Sergio McClain (former Illinois player), Imari Sawyer (DePaul), Leon Smith (former NBA player), T.J. Cummings (UCLA) and fellow prep star Elliott Poole from Farragut, Melvin has been trying to absorb all that is around him.

   "I've learned from [the Pro/Am players] a doggish mentality," Buckley said. "To dog anyone that steps in front of you and not to hold back." But has that "doggish mentality" been applied to Buckley at all? "When I guarded Paul McPherson (Golden State Warriors) once that was quite an experience," admitted Buckley, while saying that he was 'dogged' a little.

   Unlikely to see any competition on the level of McPherson in his upcoming high school season, Buckley looks for good things with the Thunderbirds this year.

   "I think we will be better than last year's team," said Buckley, "but it will be a different type of better. I don't know if anyone can match what we did last year as far as getting downstate and making it to the finals, except for losing to Schaumburg. But this team has the potential to surprise a lot of people and take [state]. And with the way Geremie Allison has been playing, who knows?"

   Allison, a 5'10" junior has stepped up at the point guard spot--the main question mark on this year's squad. Along with Allison, Thornwood has had several players start to come out of their shells and prove that the depth of this year's team will not be a weak spot, as it was last year.

   Before Buckley's quest for another championship starts he is putting his efforts into eliminating his main weakness--his weight.

   Now up to 195-pounds, Buckley has been working out with trainer Will Franklin, who has worked out many NFL players in the past. Also, receiving advice from his father, Melvin Buckley II, Mel Trey--as his mother often refers to him as--can only receive positive advice from his dad who formerly played basketball at Chicago State, and now bench presses a solid 475-pounds and is built like a NFL linebacker himself.

   Hoping to go into the high school season at a solid 205-pounds, Buckley is a tough individual to match up against on defense.

   "If he uses that first step he can beat you, but the more and more he explores playing big time basketball it makes him do more things that he wasn't able to do before," said Irvin. "He causes a lot of havoc on offense with his outside shot, but then he could take it to the basket, too. I think this year he is going to be something in high school."

   With the height, length and versatility to do damage inside (on the high school level), he is equally as comfortable at drilling an outside jumper where he shot 40-percent from the 3-point stripe while averaging 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists last season.

   "The only way to stop me now is to steal my girlfriend," said Buckley, referring to the tactic of getting into his head. "You have to play with me mentally because if it's just on the court, I'm going to find a way to do something out there for my team."