With 20 seconds left in overtime, Wake Forest point guard Chris Paul quickly grabbed the in-bounds pass, sprinted up court, and sliced through the West Virginia defense with moves that would make Isaiah Thomas jealous.
He took the ball straight to the basket, warding off defenders with the left side of his body, while balancing the ball perfectly on the right side, creating just enough space to delicately toss the ball off the backboard and into the hoop.
The next time down the floor, now down by three, Paul commanded the defense's attention long enough for Taron Downey to find an open spot on the floor.
Paul promptly delivered the ball, and Downey did the rest, sending the game into double overtime.
Though Paul ultimately fouled out in the following period, and his Demon Deacons fell victim to the Cinderella Mountaineers, that night Paul cemented himself as the nation's premier point guard.
As only a sophomore, Paul exhibited unbridled quickness, a comprehensive understanding of offensive and defensive strategy, extraordinary passing ability, precocious leadership and an above-average jump shot.
Paul progressed from a promising prospect into a legitimate star in a mere two years, elevating himself to the crme of College Basketball's crop.
Though he will undoubtedly continue to improve over the coming years, it will not be at Wake, as he will forego his final two seasons for the opportunity to play in the NBA.
Paul is certainly not the first player to forego multiple college years to play in the NBA -- the majority of today's best players rarely graduate in four years.
However, as he is one of the nation's top players, Paul's decision will draw ire from many across the country, saying "he should get his education" or "he's still got improving to do."
While both points warrant some validity, Paul's departure highlights the less publicized issue of early entry -- the loss of respect for college basketball.
While the NCAA still puts forth a marketable product each year, the game lacks the respect it once had. Today, for the great players, college basketball is nothing more than a minor league for the NBA -- players rarely stay for four years and often jump into the draft as soon as someone whispers "lottery pick" in their ear.
While this feeds the NBA with exciting, young talent, it conversely hurts the college game.
In today's world, players like Paul, who could be contributing to the legends, dynasties and memories of which NCAA basketball consists, choose to pass in favor of the inordinately large paychecks that await them at the next level.
While Paul was a great player in his two years at Wake Forest, he was on track to become one of the greatest ACC players ever.
While that may not translate into a $90 million shoe contract or a huge signing bonus, the feat still garners recognition, demands respect and attracts plenty of attention.
For this reason, former ACC legends like David Thompson, Phil Ford and Ralph Sampson, though not NBA greats, will forever be deified in the mid-Atlantic. For this reason, while they both have promising NBA careers, former stars Jay Williams and Juan Dixon still frequent Duke and Maryland games, respectively, absorbing every standing ovation and awards ceremony in their honor. For this reason, Billy Packer and Dick Vitale wake up each morning.
This all is not to suggest that Paul will not be a great NBA player -- he very well may become the next Isaiah Thomas. However, the allure of NBA dollars and elevated competition proved too tantalizing, and Paul's myopia led him to miss an opportunity of a lifetime -- the opportunity to play four years of college basketball. And for that, both the fans and the NCAA will miss him greatly.
