Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Mark Lyons says leaving Xavier ‘a business decision’

spt-120424-marklyons

Mike Miller

Mark Lyons views his transfer from Xavier as “a business decision.” Coach Chris Mack has a slightly different take.

Once the Musketeers’ season ended against Baylor in the Sweet 16, the senior guard told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he “wanted the keys to the car” to he could work on improving his NBA draft stock.

“There aren’t a lot of 6-1 shooting guards in the NBA,” Lyons told the paper.

But that wasn’t something Mack want to do. He’ll turn to Dee Davis and incoming freshman Semaj Christon to replace Tu Holloway at point guard.

“After our end of the season meeting with Mark it became apparent that a change for both parties was the right thing moving forward,” Mack told the paper. “During our meeting expectations were outlined for his fifth and final season, areas in which I believe needed improvement. Mark did not recognize these expectations as being important and ultimately it was decided that a change of scenery would be in his best interest. I wish Mark well.”

Should Lyons have left a program that’s won 73 games during his three seasons there even if his role as the 2-guard wouldn’t have changed? If he can find a spot that’ll let him play point guard, then it’ll almost certainly be a boost for his pro career.

If he can pull that off. It’s not like a team such as Arizona or Kansas or Kentucky – his three top landing spots – will be willing to let Lyons work out the kinks in his game if it impacts their season. Mack wasn’t. Why would they?

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.