Sylven Landesberg planned to go pro throughout sophomore year

Virginia guard Sylven Landesberg's decision to leave school was not related to a season-ending suspension, according to interviews with both Sylven Landesberg and Steve Landesberg, Sylven's father. Both said Sylven Landesberg's intent all along was to leave Virginia after his sophomore season and try his hand at professional basketball.

“My mind was pretty set,” Sylven Landesberg said Saturday in his first interview since the season-ending suspension and the university’s announcement that he was going to pursue a professional career. “I told my father before the season that I’m pretty sure I’m going to leave after this year. I think I’m ready. Last year, I had the opportunity as well to leave. A lot of people were asking me what I was going to do, and in my heart I felt there were a lot of things I need to work on, like work on my jump shot, because I didn’t feel like it was consistent enough last year, and other aspects of my game. I came back this year, and improved a lot of the little things I needed to work on. The things I improved, that I needed to, I got a little better. That’s what I needed to solidify to be a player on the next level.”

Landesberg returned to New York for workouts last summer, including invitation-only games at the New York Athletic Club with professional basketball players. The performances helped convince Landesberg of his professional prospects.

"The NBA is a lot different from the college game,” Sylven said. ”College game is a lot more help defense. I learned that from playing with the pros. It's a little more tougher to score in the college level than on the NBA level. I feel like you have to be talented, you have to be able to make one-on-one moves and knock your shot down. I feel like it's more open. That's the kind of game I like to play. When I was playing at the New York Athletic Club, I was doing very well in that area. After I was doing well with the pros, they were going back to their teams and they were talking to their general managers about their people over there, telling them about me. That's where a lot of attention toward me started coming, from word-of-mouth with NBA players I played against. I felt like I was able to play at that level."

Sylven Landesbger articulated this to his father before the season. Steve Landesberg told his son that if he felt strongly about his decision, he should “follow his heart.”

"It's something that's been his lifelong dream to play in the NBA," Steve Landesberg said. "And when you're young, you want the world today. You don't want to wait till tomorrow. That's basically the theme going back to school all year. Unfortunately, it didn't end up so nicely. I wish it didn't end this year with all the negative talk. It wasn't very good for anyone. It wasn't good for Sylven. Wasn't good for Coach [Tony] Bennett, who's a very nice guy. We like Coach Bennett and Sylven likes Coach Bennett and Coach Bennett likes Sylven. ... Moving ahead, Sylven's goal was going to the NBA. And that's the plan now."

Steve pointed out that Bill Gates left college early and when you walk into Virginia's university bookstore, there are shirts on sale with Edgar Allan Poe and the word "dropout" below.

"You're not going to be the first one to have dropped out of Virginia," Steve Landesberg told his son. "If they want to vilify you, what can you do?"

Sylven Landesberg emphasized that he did not have a sour relationship with nor hard feelings for Bennett. Steve Landesberg said that Bennett and the season-ending suspension because of academics were not related to his son's decision to leave. Bennett has been in communication with the Landesberg family, and Sylven Landesberg said he is thankful that he got to play for Bennett and would only say positive things to others if they asked about his former coach.

"We want to make that clear: There is no hate between us and Tony," Steve said. "Sylven didn't go to classes....There's no secret about that. I wish Sylven had had a better relationship with Tony so could have been a little more honest and told him upfront and Tony could have straightened him out a little bit, but we had a very good relationship with Tony. And to this day, I'll say Tony presents himself exactly as he is. He's a decent, good guy. And people support us, they should also realize that we like Tony. They shouldn't take anything out on Tony."

Sylven Landesberg did not want to comment on his suspension, only confirming that he skipped class because he planned to leave school early.

Bennett had established rules for the team, Steve Landesberg said, and that Bennett "did what he felt he had to do." Steve Landesberg did want to comment on his son's punishment because that was Bennett's decision to make.

Both Steve Landesberg and his son have heard both negative comments and words of support from the team's fans.

Steve Landesberg also said that his son had the option of coming back. Steve Landesberg met with athletic department officials, and they conveyed the option of a return. Steve Landesberg also made sure his son understood he could return to Virginia.

"He already had made up his mind when he went back to school that…he wanted to try the professional career," Steve said. "That was the bottom line. Look, he's 19 years old. He's younger than a lot of guys who are freshmen in college. He's a sophomore. If he had known it would have ended this way, he would have gone to classes and done what he was supposed to have done. He's not a bad kid....He has a good heart. He didn't want to cause anyone any harm. He feels bad that he disappointed his teammates because he was suspended from the team. That hurt him."

Steve Landesberg said whatever city, team and organization ends up with his son "will be happy to have him there," and Sylven Landesberg has interest in returning to Virginia to work out during summers and be associated with the school. Bennett emphasized that Sylven Landesberg is always welcome back. Sylven considers his teammates “family” and has great affection for the Virginia fans.

"We left it like this: We have no hard feelings with Tony. Tony is a good guy, and people should know he's a good guy," Steve said. "Sometimes when you make decisions and they're controversial, you're not going to have 100 percent of the people behind you. An easy decision, you have everyone behind you. A controversial decision, you have people for you, and people against you. It's unfortunate some people took sides against Tony and took sides against us. They should look at the situation for what it was."

Sylven Landesberg has been training for the past few weeks with various professional trainers for about five hours per day from Mondays to Saturdays. He has not yet signed with an agent, although he said he receives calls “all the time” from agents and “it’s getting a little out of control.” Steve Landesberg said the fact that some of the NBA’s top agents are pursuing his son is validation of his draft prospects.

The feedback they have received about Sylven Landesberg's professional prospects is "very optimistic." Steve said they've spoken to people "in the know" who said he's "definitely a professional player" and could fall in the late first round or second round of the NBA draft. Sylven Landesberg also has a European passport -- his father is of Austrian descent -- so Europe is an option as a backup plan.

"He will be able to support himself," Steve said. "All ideas aren't 100 percent. But if the good in an idea outweighs the bad, it's a good idea."