I must confess that upon first blush, I was floored by hoopster Carleton Scott's choice to forego his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame.

On so many levels, coming out now seems so ill-advised. Though gifted and skilled, Scott is nowhere near a finished product. Hardly a complete package, he's got a long way to go.

Another season in South Bend would have allowed the 6-8, 218-pound forward to hone and refine his game. It would have given the 22-year-old additional time to flesh out his weaknesses and to grow in confidence, maturity and stature.

By remaining eligible for the NBA draft, Scott is taking a huge risk. Every mock draft I've surveyed doesn't have Scott's name included anywhere. In these projections, he's a complete non-factor. A veritable invisible man.

Scott says he feels confident that some NBA team will tab him during the upcoming two-round draft. Most likely, this is a classic case of wishful thinking. Scott probably has a better chance at draining a half-court shot than he does of being selected in June.

Reputed to have done well during a pre-draft combine held in New Jersey, there are reports that Scott might have generated some interest from a couple of NBA clubs. But that doesn't mean diddly. Often, that sort of cursory flirtation is meaningless. Many a young man has been duped by an NBA team who conveyed interest but then left him standing at the altar, disillusioned and confused.

The consensus by most is that Scott will be among those who will know this disappointment.

Reading between the lines, I think Scott's decision was based upon one critical factor. It's always been his dream to play pro ball and he didn't want to put off that pursuit any longer. Like the cross-legged kid who has to pee, Scott couldn't hold out. He just had to go.

Due to secure his degree on May 22nd, academics ceased being a priority for Scott. He readily admits he now wishes to put all his energy and spend most of his waking hours polishing up his hoop skills.

He didn't want anything else getting in the way. Had he returned to the Irish for an additional year, not all of his concentration could have been focused on basketball. Scott wanted no distractions when it came to chasing his roundball dreams.

Looking at it objectively, it appears Scott is overreaching at this stage.

No one denies that he doesn't have game. Blessed with athleticism, leaping ability and a 73-inch wingspan, Scott can play solid defense, block shots and be a disrupting force down low. Though far from a beast on the boards, he has shown he can collect his share of rebounds.

Couple this with a nice and fluid stroke from intermediate to downtown range and you have one intriguing player. A young man with plenty of upside.

But, in this reporter's opinion, that's not nearly enough to earn him a ticket into the NBA.

Though solid and dependable in the rugged Big East Conference, Scott wasn't close to being an elite player. Never once did he achieve a post-season honor in the league. And though his numbers for points (11.2) and rebounds (7.4) were career-highs this past season, those aren't exactly the stats of a sure thing prospect.

As much as I may like what Scott potentially has to offer, the truth is the resident of San Antonio isn't ready for the Big Show.

To wit, there were periods of time in college when he would just flat out disappear. On plenty of occasions, he would get pushed around and out-muscled underneath. And Scott has yet to develop an effective and consistent interior game. Scoring inside was far from a strength.

Mix all the good and the not-so-good together and it just doesn't compute to being NBA ready. Honest analysis suggests Scott's choice to opt out of college will end up biting him in the butt.

So what if the NBA turns its back on him? Will a tour of duty in some European locale or at some outpost in the NBA's Developmental League really serve him better than would have a final year as the leader and captain of the Fighting Irish? Having looked at all the possibilities, apparently Scott felt so though hardly anyone else agrees with him.

It's always easy to observe from the outside and suggest what others should do. It's cake to be critical of what can be viewed as a misstep by someone else. But the bottom-line is that this was Carleton Scott's decision to make. His and his alone.

Scott comes across as a thoughtful and reflective person. And though it appears he had a predisposition in this case, it's a certainty that this was no rush to judgment.
You can be sure he weighed the pros and cons, solicited the opinions of those he trusted, collected all available data and then reached what he saw as an informed decision.

Though others, including yours truly, feel he blundered, only time will tell the wisdom or folly of his judgment.

Scott's departure is no doubt a blow to the Irish program. The hole he leaves won't be filled in a snap. ND will pine for his considerable talents on the court. It was no mere coincidence that when Scott was out with an injury in January, the Domers suffered their two most lopsided losses.

The team will also miss his calming demeanor in the locker room. His voice and leadership won't be easy to replace. Scott was the type of kid who made a team better just because of his mere presence on it.

Scott had a tough decision to make and, in the end, he followed the course advocated by The Bard William Shakespeare who wrote, " To thine own self be true."

And so Scott elected to pursue that which was closet to his heart. He chose to try to make his NBA dreams a reality. You can question his judgment but you can't contest that it's his life to do with it whatever he likes.

I feel Scott left the Irish prematurely and way too soon. For his sake, let's hope that, in upcoming years, he doesn't come to feel the same way.