Slam Presents: Lost Ones: Jonathan Hargett

DCAllAmerican said:
He spends his days helping make cleaning supplies in the hope of having $500 saved to spend on his two daughters when he leaves prison. With nearly five years to dwell on the mistakes that kept him from the N.B.A., Hargett has ultimately pinpointed one person for his failures.
"I can't blame nobody," he said. "I've got to blame myself."
Click to expand...

damn..
 
That's a really depressing story...that's also why its important that kids focus on the academics and school in addition to bball or football just in case it doesn't work out you have something to fall back on and not have to resort to illegal behavior, he was young and naive and didn't no any better from the sounds of it....and he got taken advantage of by those shark agents :smh:
 
/\ He got banned by the NCAA...what was his fallback option? Paying tuition to go to school?
 
Sad stuff. Could have made a nice living overseas but his basketball prowess like with many of these stories now becomes exaggerated. (ie, Lenny Cooke) He was kind of terrible his one year in the Big East.
 
WAVY BONE said:
/\ He got banned by the NCAA...what was his fallback option? Paying tuition to go to school?
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about college by then its way too late....he had issues with "attendance" in his early high school yrs from what his coach said...I doubt he was too focused on academics, and I'm not blaming him completely just saying his older bros and guardians should have guided him to focus on his school as well as ball from a young age, so he wouldn't have been forced to resort to selling drugs in the case that ball didn't work out.
 
Al3xis said:
Sad stuff. Could have made a nice living overseas but his basketball prowess like with many of these stories now becomes exaggerated. (ie, Lenny Cooke) He was kind of terrible his one year in the Big East.
Click to expand...

Perhaps...but seeing guys like Mo Williams, TJ Ford, Ben Gordon, etc. carve out NBA careers when Hargett was arguably more talented than all of them...makes you wonder.
 
I will say going to that WVU program at that time did him no favors. maybe a different story if he goes and plays for someone like Lute Olson.
 
dreClark said:
He was?
Click to expand...

Which one of those dudes was better than Hargett in High School?

There was ONE guard better than Hargett in that class and his name was Dajuan Wagner. Both of them flirted w/ going straight that year.

It's still hilarious that guys like Chris Thomas made that McD's over Hargett. Politics were in full effect.
 
Last edited:
Seymore CAKE said:
No they didn't. He hired an agent and attempted to go pro, when that didn't work he tried to go back to school.
Rules clearly state if you hire an agent you forfeit your eligibility.
Click to expand...

He got the axe from the NCAA after his freshman year. He didn't attempt to enter the draft until 2003. They indeed came down hard.
 
Last edited:
my dude was really steereds wrong...sad..

one of those things, where u need that old school mentor..the dude that when u come home high, tells u if u do it again hell kick u out...the dude that looks past ur talent and molds you as a man..instead of jusst a crossover...

sad man...dude is spoken on in the same names as ai, ronald curry down here in norfolk...so i only know hearsay bout him...but if you know how big AI and Curry were in high school in VA , those comparisons alone mean dude was legit on the court...

sad to see man..and just imagine how often things like this happen around the country...we all know soooooo many dudes that were all state in high school...and dropped out to be a dope boy...i know his story is more complicated, just saddens me...
 
It was a lose-lose from that point. Getting dismissed from the NCAA after a dismal season...no GM wanted to touch him w/ a 10 foot pole by that point. Larry Brown was intrigued and bought him in for a couple workouts w/ the Pistons but that was it.

Seeing what goes on today in the world of college hoops where **** is BLATANT and out in the open damn near...I'm still trying to figure how dude got all of his eligibility snatched.
 
I personally know Jonathan and I will say this, I dont know alot about basketball been I seen him play numerous of times and he was a beast. The last time I seen him play was on 2004 or 05 in Richmond Summer League. I read the peice that the Times wrote. From the time that I met him in 9th grade he was a legend. He knew it, he came from a family of ball players and none of them made it. He was the youngest the last one...which is a lot of pressure. He loved the game but of course being that young and be treated like a star is going to corrupt you. He was addicted to the perks just as he was to the game as any young man would be. He was 15 when he had an agent and he took money in college thats crazy he was too young at 15 to realize the damage. Where was the older ppl guiding him? he was 15. someone should have said no. but the ppl ard him seen money an dtold him to take it. I was there when he scrambled so hard to get into VUU. I think they were too hard on him. He never said he took the money but you knew he did because he was too fly dressing. He could have made it to the NBA. The game was his life. but as ppl say he had no guidance and that was the problem.
 
you talking to me? I dont know what you really want to know. The boy was and still is a legend on the court.  It touches me so much because I know him but this story is the sad story of so many people that had promise for sports, business, entertainment, etc something happens: drugs, children, just plan life that gets you way off track. You can google him and see his stats you can see his skills. but just like the New York Times article quoted Coach Lan. He was full of contradictions. He was confident at bball but insecure about damn near everything else. He was focused but still confused. You have to know him to really understand what I am saying and I could have known him so much better. I just hope that these people that use to be his "friends" at least write him.  Just let him feel some love and not feel alone. Its been 5 years and I am sure like me alot of other people didnt even know he was locked up.  Jonathan beyond that ball was a cool dude if you got to know him and got him to put the facade down for a minute or two.  He was funny as hell.  Always had a smile on his face when it wasnt game time. He is just a regular boy in a grown up world that he was not mentally prepared for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom