Ducks favorite for Keon Pledger

JUCO shooting guard Keon Pledger was once one of the top 60 recruits at his position in the 2009 recruiting class, but poor grades prevented him from being able to play for a Division I school. He was the MVP in his league for CSI as a freshman, but he was dismissed from the team due to disciplinary measures and ended up on SBVC. Keon Pledger has changed his attitude after these events, and he has received offers from Oregon, St. John’s, Marquette, Arizona, Baylor, USC, and Oklahoma.

Even though most of those schools are having more success than the Ducks, that hasn’t stopped Keon Pledger from listing him as his favorite school and likely destination. He possesses a nice shooting touch and has the ability to be a solid player for the team. Pledger will definitely fill a void at guard due to the departures of the Ducks two senior stars, but his future impact lies in his character. He cannot afford to let his grades falter or slip-up again on a bigger program. Keon Pledger needs to be fully focused and strive to be the starter for this team. He cannot be a cancer and must make the most out of his final two years of eligibility; this his chance.

The Oregon Ducks coaching staff is willing to give the guard his due, but he has to take advantage of this opportunity and run with it. Keon Pledger has sufficient talent, and he needs to dispel those character concerns through his actions and show that he is willing to work as a student. If he can do those two things, there is no doubt that this guy has what it takes to be a Duck and make us proud. It’s great to hear that a legitimate talent at shooting guard is ready and willing to play in Eugene, and I hope the Ducks staff finds that he will be able to slot in comfortably with the team. Keon Pledger said some weird things on Twitter in the past, but those were maturity concerns. He’s most likely grown from them and will likely end up having a solid two seasons. He never broke the law or anything like that; it was just simple immaturity on his part.

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