Demetris Nichols, The Latest in a Long Line of Collegiate Enigmas, Set to Sign 10-Day Contract with Knicks

In this post-Jordan NBA era that has seen countless high school and college studs slip through the cracks, there is no guarantee that collegiate success will translate into a fruitful career in the League.

Demetris Nichols, the second year guard who was drafted 53rd overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, is just the latest example of a successful college player that has been finding it very difficult to log significant NBA minutes. It's difficult to figure out just why it is that Nichols, a guy who averaged 19 PPG in the ferocious Big East conference as a senior, hasn't emerged as a quality NBA player.

The NBA blueprint seems simple enough. Since the entrance of players like Kevin Garnett, teams seem to favor big men who have an all around game. It's no longer uncommon for a 6'8'' player to handle the ball out on the wing. Dirk Nowitzki at 7' is as far from a traditional forward as you can get. LeBron James has played the majority of his offensive possessions in the league at point guard.

With this new trend developing in the NBA, it was not hard to imagine how college superstars who lacked size and explosiveness would have a hard time finding work in the NBA. JJ Redick and Gerry McNamara are two stellar examples of guys who couldn't find their niche at the next level. McNamara, who single handedly delivered Syracuse a Big East tournament championship his senior year, went undrafted and has yet to log one minute of playing time in the NBA. Redick, the ACC's all-time leading scorer, has been sitting on the bench far more often than would be expected of a guy who was drafted with the 11th overall pick in '06

While McNamara's lack of NBA success is not difficult to imagine (he has obvious deficiencies in both size and explosiveness) there are a plethora of former college players finding the NBA to be unforgiving.

Perhaps a look at some other head scratching examples will shed some light on the discrepancies between studs in college and studs in the League. Here is a list of my "enigmatic" players. These are just a few example of guys who were either awesome in college and then couldn't cut in the League, or were just the opposite- good or maybe even great college players that seemed destined for NBA anonymity but have risen to all-star status.

Adam Morrison- Gonzaga's mercurial small forward was, along with JJ Redick, all the talk of NCAA fans. The Larry Bird comparisons were non-stop, and unlike Redick or McNamara, size wasn't and ability to get to the rim weren't considered weaknesses of Morrison's. Despite this upside, Morrison has bounced around the league without having any impact for either the Bobcats or the Lakers.

Dan Dickau- Another Zag, Dickau absolutely lit up opponents in his junior and senior seasons for Mark Few. Cerebral, under control, and defensive minded, it seemed there would be a place, at least as a reserve, for Dickau in the NBA. Most great teams start with solid guard play, so all signals pointed to a successful NBA career for Dickau. This has not been the case. Injuries and a lack of explosiveness at the next level have done Dickau in.

Karl Krauser- Another Big East bruiser, Krauser was the staple of many a good Pittsburgh squad. His toughness alone was not enough to catapult him into a noteworthy NBA career. His slow feet and poor decision making were exposed at the next level, and Krauser is out of the league and playing overseas.

TJ Ford- The lightning fast Texas guard was one of the most dominant college point guards of the 2000's. His slight frame has not held up the way that he would have hoped, and while Ford still sees significant minutes for Indiana, he is far from the dominant player he was projected to be when the Bucks used the 8th overall selection to draft him in 2003.

Dwayne Wade- An absolute stud for a then mid-major Marquette, it's hard to find too many people who aren't BS'ing you when they say they predicted that Wade would see the sort of NBA success that he has had. Arguably a top five player in the NBA, Wade dazzled in college but did so against many sub par opponents. Perhaps the best hint of his NBA success came in the 2003 NCAA tournament when he led the Golden Eagles to the Final Four

Deron Williams- Despite being a lottery selection, the bulky Illinois guard did not exactly exude NBA potential. Now arguably a top three NBA point guard, Williams has proven that his game is as good as it gets in terms of NBA guard play.

So what of Demetris Nichols? Obviously the Knicks are not putting any sort of serious stock in Nichols, offering only a 10-day contract. Perhaps D'Antoni recognizes the potential to add a lengthy shooter to his arsenal of weapons. New York could potentially be a great fit for Nichols, who at 6'8'' is a very capable shooter who lacks the ability to threaten opponents of the bounce. If the Knicks are able to incorporate Nichols off the bench to come in and get some transition looks from the perimeter, Nichols may just find his niche as a reserve player for the mediocre Knicks.

It's more than likely, however, that we will be adding Nichols to the long list of enigmatic NBA players that never quite pan out despite stellar college careers.