The Front Row: Testing the waters

CUT TO THE ‘CHASE’: To the surprise of nobody, Chase Budinger decided to put his name into the NBA draft mix.

Unlike fellow Wildcat Jerryd Bayless, Budinger is leaving open the possibility of a return to Tucson by retaining his amateur status.

He will take a trip to the Orlando pre-draft camp and do his best to gather all of the information at his disposal to make an intelligent, well-informed decision about his playing career.

Most draft experts have Budinger pegged around the end of the lottery to the late teens, which would carry with it a substantial amount of guaranteed money.

Anyone who watched Budinger for an extended period of time this season knows he needs to add a great deal of strength in order to compete at the NBA level, but that kind of money is tough to walk away from.

If he does elect to return, he will team with former AAU teammate and fellow Southern California native Brandon Jennings to form a potent perimeter scoring combination.

If he decides to hire an agent, however, Lute Olson will have his work cut out for him if he expects his Wildcats to contend for a Pac-10 title next season.

Check Friday’s Green Valley News for an in-depth breakdown of Budinger’s and Bayless’ draft status and what it will take for each player to succeed professionally.

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ONE FOR THE AGES?: In this era of hyperactive instant history, everyone is in a terrible rush to proclaim everything either the “greatest ever” or the “worst ever.”

So it was predictable to hear talking heads debate whether or not Kansas’ 75-68 overtime win over Memphis on Monday was the greatest championship game in the history of college basketball.

Was it dramatic? Absolutely.

Was it entertaining? You betcha.

Was it the greatest championshp game since James Naismith cut the bottom out of a peach basket? Give me a break.

Large chunks of this game were thoroughly sloppy. I can just imagine my middle-school basketball coaches watching that game and cringing at all of the botched fast breaks and mind-boggling choices.

Mario Chalmers’ last-second three was outstanding. Memphis’ choke job down the stretch — up nine, two to play, unguarded 15-foot shots serving as the catalyst — was epic.

I’ll never forget Monday night’s game, but that doesn’t mean we need to gloss over the flaws in the interest of sweeping hyperbole.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747