Evaluating the Draft Process
Does the process work right now where players can declare, not hire an agent and come back for the next year of college? How does it effect teams, coaches and recruiting?
I’m a fan of the process that allows a player to declare for the draft and pull themselves back. I think it is great and saves players everywhere from making horrible choices that end their eligibility and puts them in the awkward spot of having to leave school to make a living. I could list hundreds of players that made the mistake and it cost them dearly. This way a player can test the waters one time and learn what takes place. I love it. Chase Budinger is a guy who tested the waters last year and learned the process and declared again this season. He can’t pull himself back and he’s ok with that and he’s educated.
On a side note, how does this rule effect coaches? I know the biggest effect is on recruiting and having to budget open scholarships and then having to fill those scholarships. Kids that are on the border of the first round are the toughest to project if they will leave or not so it puts coaches in a bind. Look at Tyreke Evans. I think he’s in the draft to stay but he wants to be a top 10 pick. What if he delays and delays until new coach Josh Pastner is in trouble recruiting wise. A kid might not want to come in and sit the bench behind Evans so he has to wait while all other schools just keep recruiting the player. It can hurt a program.
It can also help a program. Good players make a program more visible and kids want to go pro. Kids want to see which schools produce pro players. That’s why they line up for North Carolina right now. Roy Williams take pro talent to begin with and blends them well together and gets kids drafted. You can’t say enough about that. Good players play wherever they are.
I think the system is good the way it is and I love the way the NBA does the draft where the money is already set in stone. I think that is great for the league and the game. The NFL needs to follow suit next or they are going to be in trouble soon.
