Grant Gelon learned that some dreams don’t always come true, but can lead to other dreams that might.
“We don’t see you fitting into our plans here.”
That’s what IU basketball coach Archie Miller told Grant Gelon a few months ago, according to the NW Indiana Times. It was an honest, direct, and unpleasant assessment to hear.
Gelon was unhappy at that moment with Miller, and remains so. Indiana offered to make good on its promise to honor the full scholarship until Gelon earned his degree, but Gelon wants to play basketball, so he recently enrolled at State Fair Community College.
The really unpleasant truth is that the responsibility for Gelon’s disappointment lies at the feet of former coach Tom Crean for offering Gelon the scholarship in the first place.
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Gelon is a really good shooter whose overall skill level is not at the Big 10 level. The ultimate result of his continued participation at IU was destined to end with bitterness.
Good for the young man accepting the challenge to play at IU, but his game did not measure up to the level needed to compete successfully at IU. Miller saw that, and provided transparent and unequivocal feedback that allowed Gelon to redraw his course toward success.
Those moments of unvarnished truth are grotesque to experience, but would Gelon prefer to have Miller encourage him without plans to play him?
Indiana Basketball is not some club where nice boys are offered a chance to develop into a player good enough to earn a few minutes here and there. It’s a place where the very good report to try to become great.
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Gelon is capable of indulging his love for basketball at the Division One level – just not the Big 10 level – and he will ultimately be happier there than he ever would have been as an awkward project of Crean’s.
Kent Sterling hosts the fastest growing sportstalk show in Indianapolis on CBS Sports 1430 every weekday from 3p-7p, and writes about Indiana sports at kentsterling.com.
What an ironic twist of fate – Gelon got “Creaned” by the new coach! This is such a snowflake move to turn this in to the press for a story – give us a break. Kids get run from programs All. The. Time. Just this past March:
“Redshirt junior forward Sean Obi recently announced that he will be transferring from Duke at the end of the semester. Obi joins sophomore forward Chase Jeter, who will also transfer from the program.” Does anybody really think they decided to transfer from Duke on their own without any help from a certain head coach? I am sure the prospect of being able to sign Marvin Bagley a year early never entered anybody’s head.
Miller did this kid a favor and now he can actually have a chance to play college ball somewhere. BTW, do they serve elephant ears and lemon shake ups at State Fair CC games?
Not an inaccurate assessment, but insensitive for no real reason.
Good article. Gelon is either a D-2 or D3 player. Miller’s honesty is rare. IU did the right thing by offering a scholarship (non-athletic) to finish his degree.
I’m guessing this decision didn’t come as a total surprise after having practiced for over a year, he has to realize would be minimal playing time available for him moving forward. Athletic scholarships are a one year scholarship that’s renewed by the staff. When you see a Freshman or Sophomore transfer many times it’s for this same reason, staff thinks they will be better off elsewhere for what ever reason. When a new staff takes over this same situation is much more prevalent than with the staff that recruited the player to begin with.
IU did no favors by continuing to offer the four year scholarship, they are required to do so. A player can not lose their scholarship for performance reasons. I wish GG the best of luck.
IU adhered to its own policy.
Sterling continues his run as a wannabe tough-guy radio talk show host in the vein of his fellow moron Dan Dakich. Seriously, the reason Gelon was released from the team is that Tom Crean brought him on the team to begin with? That’s like blaming the death of someone on the fact their mother gave birth to them.
You’re clearly just gunning for Crean for no reason. It’s over, man, get over whatever it is that Crean did you to personally. It’s time.
It’s over at Indiana, no matter what. You just received an offer from a very good University and solid program that will be better this year that in the last 6. (Missouri State University.) I live in Cincinnati but Springfield is a great little town. Little being about 250,000 metro within 10 miles. Jump on it now and you won’t regret it. Wait a little longer and the remaining offers will be filled. Good luck to you anyway it goes.