Kansas Jayhawks: Is Josh Selby's Decision to Enter NBA Draft a Mistake?

If you're a fan of Kansas Jayhawks basketball, then you probably already know the recent news.

Josh Selby is forgoing the rest of his college career to enter the 2011 NBA Draft.

The news broke yesterday, as Selby announced on his official Twitter page that he would be leaving Kansas after one short season.

"I want to thank all the KU fans who supported me through everything and all the fans who doubting me. I will miss the the fieldhouse. #KU," Selby stated.

"But it's a new journey in my life now. I will not return to Kansas next year. Making my dream a reality. #NBA baby."

To say the least, it wasn't at all surprising to most of the Jayhawks fanbase. Except maybe the fact that he made his public announcement in a tweet, but there are bigger fish to fry.

First of all, let's get one thing straight: You can never criticize a kid for chasing his dreams of one day being able to play in the NBA and make millions of dollars.

Never.

But in Josh Selby's case, it's a little bit different. It's not that all Kansas fans think he is deserting the team after a short stint in Lawrence, but more that most people think he isn't ready for the NBA.

But what does the term "ready" actually mean?

Well, to the fans it means that he should be putting up 20 points per game. To the NBA, that's not exactly the case. Everyone knows that the league drafts on potential and looks to build players around a franchise.

Think of it this way: If Josh Selby could have gone straight out of high school to the NBA, he would have.

Selby has been working out in Las Vegas for the past few weeks in front of NBA scouts. One can only wonder what kind of things they have been whispering in his ear. I can guarantee you that he is hearing exactly what he has always wanted to hear.

He is going to be drafted if he declares this season and though some people may not think so, I believe that he will be taken at some point in the upcoming draft; it also seems that he is very confident in himself.

"I think I've improved on everything. My speed. My bounce is back, my shot is looking good. My handles are good," said Selby.

But here is my two cents about the situation. I don't have the right to say if his decision was "right" or "wrong." Only Josh Selby himself can comment on that.

Based on the results of this season, I think he should have chosen to stay one more season at Kansas—not because of how it would help the team, but how it would help him. I think he has all the potential to be a great NBA player in the future, but he hasn't been able to adapt to the talent level he needs to be on.

Look at Xavier Henry from two seasons ago—a very talented kid who had a whole season to develop his game. As a result, he was drafted 12th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.

He averaged just 4.1 points per game in his rookie season.

Selby missed the first nine games of the season due to an NCAA suspension but came out on fire in his first game, scoring 21 points, including the game-winning shot against USC.

He scored in double figures in nine of his first 13 games as a Jayhawk and looked like the stud athlete everyone knew he could be.

Then came the foot injury that sidelined him for three games in early February.

From that point forward, Selby really never got the ball rolling again. He saw a decrease in minutes and never hit double-digit points for the rest of the season, including the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.

My point is that he missed 12 out of 38 games in his freshman campaign, which is almost a third of the season.

With the departure of the Morris twins and guards Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed, Josh Selby had a true chance to become the face of the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team next season. Not only would he have shined as a team leader, but he also would have been able to develop and display his talent on a national circuit daily.

Now I'm afraid that he may be covered up by the big NBA names. Hopefully that doesn't happen, but the odds of him getting the national exposure he would have in one more season at Kansas are slim.

Let's not forget exactly how talented this season's NBA draft is going to be. If you don't know, the talent level is very high this year.

Here is the way I think of it: If I were to give you a million dollars today, would you take it? Sure.

But what if I told you if you waited one year, then I would give you five million dollars? Which one would you do? That may not be the exact situation with Selby, but from a bystander's point of view, it sure is.

Think of this: Is Josh Selby ready to guard the likes of Steve Nash? Jason Kidd? Rajon Rondo? Brandon Jennings? Derrick Rose? I just don't see it right now.

Granted, most, if not all, of this year's NBA draft picks wouldn't be asked to do so right away.

To wrap things up, let's look at the big picture here. If you're a Kansas Jayhawks fan, you should wish the kid good luck. After all, he did put in hard work at Kansas, even if it was for a relatively short time.

I just hope that he made the "right" decision for himself. I think one more year at Kansas would have done him wonders and probably locked him in as a lottery pick. But looking at the big picture, only Josh Selby can decide what's "right" for Josh Selby.

So, from myself and hopefully the entire Kansas fanbase, I wish the kid the best of luck.

Do me a favor and prove all the haters wrong.

But if he doesn't go on to have a lengthy and successful NBA career, one can only think that it will be because he left Kansas one season too early.