Yesterday was a big day for college basketball fans. June 17th was the deadline for college students to withdraw their name from the NBA draft and still retain their eligibility. For Hoya fans, there was little drama, as they could watch the last minute decisions with relative ease. Of course, there was some excitement, but the relief of Joe Alexander’s departure to the NBA or the return of a powerful UNC lineup probably did not cause Georgetown fans to lose any sleep. It was a different story last year.

One year ago, Hoya fans waited with bated breath to see if the two biggest pieces in their final four run would return to school. Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert held a joint press conference to make public their decisions. Jeff Green, the Big East’s Most Outstanding Player, decided to forgo his senior year and join the NBA, while teammate Roy Hibbert chose to remain in school. It was sad to see Jeff go, since he had meant so much to the team. But, the return of Big Roy left the Georgetown faithful hopeful, and Roy made clear his ambitions of a national title.

Here we are, one year later, and while Roy did not accomplish his loftiest goal, he did bring home the Big East Regular Season Title for the second season in a row, an accomplishment that no other Hoya has ever achieved. In the coming days, it will be Roy’s turn to get drafted. And while it was sad to see Jeff go, it will be a little bit sadder to say goodbye to Roy. His transformation into a masterful player mirrored the transformation of the program back into a national powerhouse. Both Roy and the program will continue to improve, but there will be times in the next season where fans think back about Roy, and will miss his calming presence, his charming smile, his polished post moves.

Yesterday was a big day in basketball for another reason, too. The Boston Celtics won the NBA Title in emphatic fashion, thrashing the Lakers 131-92. That victory marks the end of competitive men’s basketball for the next few months. And, as weeks go by, with no basketball on television, slowly but surely minds will wander to the upcoming season, where the Hoyas will face new challenges without Roy. These thoughts will dominate the minds of Hoya fans until the Summer Olympics in Beijing begin in August to distract us. By then, I think we will all be suffering from some withdrawal.