Doug McDermott: Future NBA Outlook on Creighton Star

Doug McDermott has little reason to hang his head.

Though his season came to an abrupt close in heartbreaking fashion against Duke in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, McDermott has bigger and better things to look forward to.

His options remain simple: stay at Creighton for his final go-round or declare for the June 27 NBA Draft.

The latter appears to be a good choice for McDermott.

While time is of the essence for McDermott, the clock isn’t necessarily working against him. He has a lot to think about.

As far as the NBA is concerned, the Creighton star has every tool necessary for a bright future. He has decent size—6’8’’, 225 pounds—and is dominant on the floor. 

According to Sean Deveney of AOL Sporting News, scouts view McDermott as a borderline first-round pick.

McDermott’s former high school teammate and current Golden State Warriors rookie forward Harrison Barnes thinks otherwise. From a guy who knows what McDermott is capable of, Barnes believes McDermott can succeed at the next level if he so chooses. Barnes told Deveney, 

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He has played exceptional basketball,“He is a guy who can play the game, and if you can play the game, I think you will find your spot. I don’t think he’d have any problems playing on this level. When you see how he shoots, he is really efficient and he can make shots from all over the floor. He can play at a high level.

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Speaking of shooting, McDermott turned in an impressive season for Creighton. He’s second in the nation in scoring, notching over 23 points per contest and nearly eight rebounds to boot. He led the nation with 273 field goals made—12 more than the second-place qualifier.

At his height, McDermott’s ability to shoot the ball efficiently will play a big role in deciding if he’s worthy of a first-round pick, according to Gary Parrish, of CBS Sports.

In terms of overall ability, McDermott could charm NBA general managers and coaches with his hefty résumé.  

Today, McDermott was named a first team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches for the second consecutive season—a feat that puts him in elite company in terms of success at the collegiate level. Since the awards were first given out in 1946, McDermott is just the 55th player to earn first team honors twice and only the fifth from the Missouri Valley Conference.

It’s decision time for McDermott.

“I think it’s just going to hit me at some moment,” McDermott told Parrish.  “I’ll just be like, ‘This is what I’m gonna do.’ But it’s still up in the air. I have no idea what I’m going to do.”

Opting for his third straight First Team All-American season is appealing, but embarking on his professional career seems more tempting.