Chris Lofton Wanted to Go Pro

[Chuck]

Posted Jul 8th 2007 8:21AM by Ryan Ferguson

Chris Lofton revealed to the Knoxville News Sentinel that he would have gone pro after the 2007 basketball season if it wasn't for problems with his ankle.

"I was gonna go," Lofton said from his home in Maysville, Ky. "It was just that my ankle, my injury, slowed me down a lot, and I couldn't work out for any teams. That forced me to come back."
Well, give the kid points for honesty. But Lofton might benefit from a little coaching on how to best couch his comments to the media. I'm sure Vol fans want their star player courtside because he wants to be there, rather than "forced".

One Vol fan commented on the story and probably spoke for at least a few others. "billschwartzjr" wrote:

I could have gone a long time and admired Lofton for wanting to stay his senior year to help and be a part of the run that is getting ready to happen. Now I know he wanted to leave for the money and forget the team that helped him get to where he is. I will always remember him in a different light!
Regardless of the circumstances, Bruce Pearl will field his best team yet at Tennessee in 2008, and Lofton is the Vols' most dangerous weapon. However they get him, Tennessee fans should be grateful to have senior sharpshooter Chris Lofton on the hardwood.


(Source (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/08/vols-chris-lofton-wanted-to-go-pro/))

[Bengals_Mama]

This is just proof that things happen for a reason. The most important thing is his education, not how good the Vols are. Money is definitely not more important than education, because he will always need his education to fall back on. I would have been disappointed if he left school to go pro, but he is still young. Young men do not always make the best decisions. Maybe his hurt ankle was a blessing in disguise if that's the case. The Vols did NOT make Chris who he is, that would be Chris himself, God, and his parents. He would have eventually gotten noticed at another school, because he is that good. Tennessee is a great team though, and I'm glad I get to watch another exciting season! Even if it's not an Ohio or KY team, I still support his decision, and enjoy it. I just hope when he does go pro that he will be a good role model, and not fall into the hype of all the money. he seems to have his head on straight though, so it should be all good.