NBA Draft 2011: 15 Prospects Who Have No Business Entering the Draft Early
The NBA draft is right around the corner, and as always, there are a whole bunch of players that have decided to enter the draft before graduating from school.
For some, like Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker, this decision is obviously a good one for them; their draft stock couldn't get any higher.
There are other players that need to think again before making this decision. This list contains 15 players that should reconsider their decision to enter the draft.
Not everyone is on this list because they aren't going to get drafted, in fact, some will be very high picks. But these players are on the list because they could greatly benefit from another year of school.
15. Kyrie Irving
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Kyrie Irving is projected to one of the top two picks in the draft. Why on earth is he on this list?
The reason that Irving is on this list has nothing to do with his current draft stock. It has to do with what he could benefit from staying in school for one more year.
Irving was only able to suit up in 11 total games for Duke. While he played very well in those games, another season under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski would help him become a better pro faster.
Besides, Irving might want to stay in school another year to avoid Cleveland.
14. Harrison Barnes
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Harrison Barnes came to North Carolina as one of the most highly-touted freshman ever. In fact, he was the first freshman to be named a preseason All-American. Barnes hasn't officially declared for the draft, but he hasn't officially said he's coming back either.
Barnes struggled early in his freshman season, but he started to come on strong toward the end of the season. He played well enough to secure an early lottery pick in the draft.
Barnes' teammates Tyler Zeller and John Henson have already announced that they are going to return to North Carolina for another year. If Barnes was to team up with them again, North Carolina would instantly be the favorite to win the National Championship
The way that Barnes came on late in the year, it seems clear that another year of school would only benefit him.
13. Scotty Hopson
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Scotty Hopson has a pretty good reason to enter the draft. A new head coach at Tennessee next season that might not play the style of basketball that suits Hopson.
However, a new coach might rely on the team's best players to carry the load during the initial transition year. I would bet that Hopson would see an increased work load. Should he perform well, his draft stock would rise.
Hopson averaged 17 points per game this season. His draft stock is decent, but another year would only make it better.
12. Alec Burks
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Alec Burks had a great season for Colorado. He averaged just over 20 points per game and showed signs of greatness. He will likely be a lottery pick.
If he would stay in school however, he would be one of the top picks in next year's draft. The 6'6" shooting guard needs to go back to Colorado and improve his three-point shot.
He'll be drafted high, but would be drafted even higher should he wait a year.
11. Travis Leslie
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Travis Leslie had a good season for Georgia. He averaged just over 14 points and seven rebounds per game.
Leslie could benefit from another year of college. His scoring fell just a little bit from last season. Another year of college would help him refine his game and ultimately improve his draft stock.
10. Darius Morris
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Darius Morris was the leader of a Michigan team that looked like a Michigan team of old. He averaged 15 points and 6.7 assists per game.
Morris is projected to be a late-first to early second-round pick. Morris is a great player and could use another year to showcase his talent and improve his draft stock.
9. Markieff Morris
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Markieff Morris will likely go somewhere in the first round. His brother Marcus will probably go somewhere before him.
Maybe they both decided to declare so they could go together, but Markieff could really benefit from another year of school.
Markieff has a deadly mid-range jump shot. His game with his back to the basket has a lot of room for improvement.
If Markieff went back for another year of school to improve his post game; he would be a very high pick in the 2012 draft.
8. Jereme Richmond
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Why Jereme Richmond is declaring for the draft is beyond me. He average only 7.6 points per game and is projected to be a late second-round pick to not being drafted at all.
It seems pretty obvious that if Richmond went back to Illinois for another year it certainly wouldn't hurt his draft stock, it would help.
7. Terrence Jones
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Terrence Jones is going to be drafted in the early first round because of his potential. His performance on the other hand was inconsistent. At times he showed signs of being a true star, and at other times, he didn't live up to the hype.
While it's fairly safe to say that Jones will be an NBA star in the future, it's also safe to say that the future could wait. Should he return to Kentucky and have another good season; he would likely be one of the top picks in 2012.
6. Isaiah Thomas
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Isaiah Thomas is an electrifying player. He has shown signs that he could be a star in the NBA.
His size, however, is a question. At only 5'9", Thomas would be one of the shortest players in the entire league.
I don't doubt that he could make the transition and play in the NBA, but another year of doing well in college and proving that he can score despite his size would help his draft stock.
Thomas is currently projected to go in the second round.
5. Tyler Honeycutt
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Tyler Honeycutt had some real star moments at UCLA. However, on the whole, he average only 12.4 points per game.
He is a very talented player with a lot of potential. But he would really be able to improve his draft stock after another year of college. Honeycutt needs to fine-tune his game.
4. Ashton Gibbs
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Ashton Gibbs helped Pittsburgh win the Big East regular season title. He was a team leader and instrumental in the Panthers success.
Gibbs is projected to go late in the second round and could very likely go undrafted completely. Why not go back for one more season to try and improve his game and stock?
Gibbs could look to Jimmer Fredette for what he should do. Fredette was projected as a late second-round pick in 2010 but decided to go back to school for his senior season. Fredette now is a first-round pick. Gibbs could do the same thing for his stock.
3. Malcolm Lee
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Malcolm Lee is following his teammate Tyler Honeycutt into the draft. Both show up on this list.
Lee averaged just 13 points per game and shot less than 30 percent from three. Another year of school would undoubtedly help him.
Like Ashton Gibbs, Lee could look at what another year of school did for Jimmer Fredette's draft stock and take a lesson.
2. Joshua Smith
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Yet another player from UCLA.
Joshua Smith, like his two other teammates that showed up on this list, is a player with a lot of upside that could really use another year of school.
Smith averaged just over 10 points and six rebounds per game. Another year at school would help him to improve his stats and improve his draft status.
Smith is a good player but another year of school will only benefit him.
1. Josh Selby
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Josh Selby was the player that was supposed to carry Kansas to the National Championship. Unfortunately for Kansas, Selby was a disappointment this year.
He averaged just under eight points and just over two assists game per game.
Selby showed signs of being the great player that everyone hoped he would be. In his first game, he scored 21 points. But Selby's play proved to be inconsistent.
He is projected to be a late-first to early second-round pick. Another full season at Kansas would help him become more consistent and improve his game.
Selby needs another year of school.
