Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA Today Sports Images
Coming out of high school, Ricky Ledo was expected to lift Providence College to a high level. Ledo was the 21st ranked prospect in ESPN’s recruiting rankings and had a good deal of hype surrounding his potential college career. However, that college career never happened.
Ledo was ruled ineligible by the NCAA in September of last year because of academics. He was able to practice with his hometown college team, but that hardly holds the value that playing in regular season games does.
Had Ledo played in college, his value coming into the 2013 NBA Draft, he likely would have been a first-round pick. However, because of his academic issues and not playing a single game in college basketball, he slipped to the 43rd overall pick in the draft, with his rights ultimately landing with the Dallas Mavericks.
Touted for his offensive ability, Ledo had relatively high expectations from people heading into the Las Vegas Summer League, but he failed to deliver. In six games at Summer League, Ledo averaged just 7.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.5 minutes per game while shooting just 35.6 percent from the field and only 30.8 percent from three.
There’s no denying Ledo’s raw talent, but there’s a lot of doubt regarding his ability to fit into an NBA system. Because of that, the Mavericks would be best suited sending Ledo to the D-League this season. Not only would that make Dallas’ backcourt a little less crowded, but it will also give Ledo the opportunity to further develop, getting some of the opportunities to grow that he didn’t get in college. Ultimately, that feels like the best decision for the Mavs right now and for the future of Ledo.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google and like his Facebook page.
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