Andrew Wiggins: Why Is the College Decision Taking So Long?

Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1-ranked incoming freshman basketball player in the country, still hasn’t made his decision as to which college he will attend.

Although Wiggins has narrowed down his options (via 247sports.com, subscription required) to Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and Florida State, the basketball world is still left wondering what is taking him so long to decide.

Wiggins is the only player in ESPN’s Top 100 to not have already decided on a school. Five of the top 10 players have chosen Kentucky, and if Wiggins becomes a Wildcat, there will be talk of championships, undefeated seasons and one-and-done players.

In all likelihood, Wiggins will play one year in college and then enter the NBA draft. He averaged 23.4 points in his senior season at Huntington Prep (W.Va.), to go along with 11.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and will look to make an immediate impact at whatever school he chooses to attend.

The 6’7” forward is just 18 years old, but he has the upside to become a dynamic franchise player for some lottery-bound NBA team in the 2014 draft.

If Wiggins chooses anywhere else but Kentucky, he will become the face of the school. Kentucky is a one-and-done factory—even freshman Nerlens Noel, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is projected to be a top-three pick—and Wiggins would likely be another name on a list that includes John Wall and Anthony Davis. If he chooses somewhere like UNC or FSU, he could make that team relevant in the NCAA tournament for the first time in a couple years.

Wiggins has shied away from the public eye during the course of his decision-making process, with his family being the only ones aware of where he stands at the moment. It’s only a matter of time before Wiggins makes some college team very happy and three others very upset.

He is really putting those four schools in tough positions, because they have to decide whether they are preparing for the upcoming season with or without him. Whichever team he does commit to will make him the centerpiece of its offense.

Until then, though, all we can do is watch and wait as one of the best high school players since LeBron James chooses the college that he will attend, if only for one year, before he likely jumps to the NBA.