Yep, you leave Harvard with a law degree, you're basically sitting pretty good in landing a great gig. But not the same with the NBA. Going to UNC, UK or KU hasn't always been beneficial for a kid's NBA future. Sure some blue-blood McDs end up just fine, but there also some recent examples where stock's have severely dropped...
- SG Wayne Selden KU - was in the same 2013 class as Wiggins and Embid. Was as high as #15 in Chad Ford's 2015 first mock draft, but now is ranked #68 and may go undrafted.
- PF Cheick Deillo KU - was projected before this season to go #10 in Ford's first mock draft. But couldn't supplant other KU bigs and is now is slated for the end of the first round, if he stays in.
- PF Carlton Bragg KU - was initially projected by Ford towards the end of the first round, but would have been projected as 2nd rd/undrafted if he had come out.
- PF Cliff Alexander KU - don't need to rehash this, but clearly it didn't work out, even if he's now in the league. He went into KU projected top 5 in the 2015 draft to an undrafted free agent. Even before he was pulled by Self, he only averaged 18mpg and 7.1ppg.
- C Dakari Johnson UK, Harrison Twins, UK - let's lump these guys all together because they were all RSCI top 10, but one went undrafted, while the other two went in the 2nd round. Johnson found himself backing up Julius Randle as opposed to being the man on a different team.
- PF Alex Polythress UK - RSCI #8 in 2012, had to stay all four years, now ranked #79 on Ford's big board. Overshadowed by myriad of other top ten guys.
- PG Isiah Briscoe UK - RSCI #11 in 2015, #26 in first mock draft, now #73 on the big board. Overshadowed by Murray and Ulis.
- C Skal Labissiere UK - RSCI #2 in 2015, #2 in first mock draft. Now, end of first round if he stays in.
- SG Justin Jackson UNC - RSCI #9 in 2014, was #17 in Ford's first 2015 mock draft. Now is #74 on his big board.
- SF Theo Pinson UNC - RSCI #15 in 2014, finished his soph year averaging less than 5ppg.
- PF Isiah Hicks UNC - RSCI #14 in 2013, finished his jr year averaging 18mpg and 9ppg.
Except for Bragg, every one of these kids was a top 20 player, but in several of these cases, they had to battle for playing time with guys equally as talented or more seasoned. Seems like a real cautionary tale for these kids and their camps to think about, as for every Julius Randle and Joel Embid, there could be a Dakari Johnson or a Cheick Deillo.
If I'm a Goodwin or Tillman, I'm sure I'd be coming into the situation feeling I'm good enough to start and star at these places, but I may not know who I'm really competing with until it's too late. Like the bigs coming into KU and UK this season, probably didn't think Deillo and Labissiere respectively could still be there. And then if I'm not one-and-done, I have to consider what other studs may be gunning for my position in the 2018 class.