Will they stay or will they go? Underclassmen coming up on declaration day
By Mike Huguenin, Yahoo! Sports Monday, Apr 9, 2012
The basketball spring signing period begins next Wednesday. Not so coincidentally, the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is next Tuesday.
Well, sort of.
The NCAA’s deadline is April 10; the NBA’s deadline, though, is April 29.
(Getty Images)
The disparity in dates has led at least one prominent college coach to point out that the NBA’s date is the important one. That coach is Kentucky’s John Calipari, who is awaiting word from five of his underclassmen on whether they’re heading to the NBA.
Under the current system, a player could tell his school by April 10 that he is returning. He then could change his mind on April 28 and turn pro. The NCAA rule deals only with college eligibility, it has nothing to do with the NBA’s deadline. The one sure thing: If a player is positive he wants to play college ball next season, he has to make his decision by April 10.
Calipari told reporters recently that the NBA’s date is “the only one we’re going to think about. So if [players] want to wait to make a decision by the [29th] when they have to by the NBA, that’s when they’ll make it. … I don’t even know the other date, nor do I care.”
This is the first year of the new rule; the NCAA Division I Legislative Council adopted it last April. Last year, underclassmen had until May 8 to withdraw with their eligibility intact. One problem: NBA teams are prohibited from working out players before the league’s official release of draft-eligible underclassmen.
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Video: What’s next for John Calipari and Kentucky?]
Critics of the new rule point out that it’s extremely difficult for players to get any real feedback from NBA teams: There is a draft advisory committee, but because of the lack of workouts, those recommendations are guesswork.
Here’s a look at the underclassmen who have declared for the draft, are still considering it or have decided to remain in school.
G B.J. Young: Declared for draft
C Andre Drummond: Undecided
G Jeremy Lamb: Declared for draft
F Perry Jones: Declared for draft
F Quincy Miller: Undecided
F Doug McDermott: Remaining in school
F Mason Plumlee: Undecided
G Austin Rivers: Declared for draft
G Bradley Beal: Undecided
G Kenny Boynton: Remaining in school
C Patric Young: Remaining in school
G Michael Snaer: Undecided
F Otto Porter: Undecided
F Hollis Thompson: Declared for draft
Grambling
G Quincy Roberts: Declared for draft
C Meyers Leonard: Declared for draft
F Christian Watford: Remaining in school
C Cody Zeller: Remaining in school
F Royce White: Declared for draft
F Thomas Robinson: Declared for draft
C Jeff Withey: Undecided
(Getty Images)
C Anthony Davis: Undecided
F Terrence Jones: Undecided
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Undecided
G Doron Lamb: Undecided
G Marquis Teague: Undecided
G C.J. McCollum: Declared for draft
G Will Barton: Declared for draft
F Adonis Thomas: Remaining in school
G Trey Burke: Remaining in school
G Tim Hardaway Jr.: Undecided
F Rodney Williams: Undecided
F Arnett Moultrie: Declared for draft
F Renardo Sidney: Declared for draft
G Isaiah Canaan: Remaining in school
F Harrison Barnes: Declared for draft
F John Henson: Declared for draft
G Kendall Marshall: Declared for draft
F James Michael McAdoo: Remaining in school
NC State
F C.J. Leslie: Undecided
F Tony Mitchell: Undecided
F Jared Sullinger: Declared for draft
F Deshaun Thomas: Returning to school
F LaBryan Nash: Remaining in school
G Jared Cunningham: Declared for draft
F Moe Harkless: Declared for draft
C Fab Melo: Declared for draft
G Dion Waiters: Declared for draft
G J’Covan Brown: Declared for draft
G Myck Kabongo: Remaining in school
Texas A&M
G/F Khris Middleton: Declared for draft
C Josh Smith: Undecided
F Mike Moser: Remaining in school
USF
F Victor Rudd: Declared for draft
G John Jenkins: Undecided
G Dominic Cheek: Undecided
G Maalik Wayns: Declared for draft
G Terrence Ross: Declared for draft
G Tony Wroten: Declared for draft
G Damian Lillard: Declared for draft
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