Every player on Kentucky’s men’s basketball team will declare for the NBA Draft, says Kentucky head coach John Calipari, but this isn’t your typical story about the growing trend of one-and-done players.
With that being said, every player who is eligible for the draft, including our walk-ons, will submit their names for the NBA Draft …
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
… in hopes of being invited to the combine in May.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
A new rule adopted by the NCAA recently will make the NBA Draft process much more player-friendly than it has ever been. Under the old rule, once a player declared for the NBA Draft, his college eligibility was essentially wiped out and he had to make his decision so early that it would rush the decision and end up costing some players to make some poor decisions. Now, the deadline has been pushed back to 10 days after the NBA’s scouting combine. This will allow college players to go through the scouting process and receive the best possible feedback from NBA scouts about where they stand before having to make a final decision. If the player chooses to stay in school, he will not jeopardize his eligibility, and he will move forward a better and more prepared student-athlete.
Calipari says every player on his team will declare for the NBA Draft, hypothetically allowing them each a chance to go through the process if they are lucky enough to receive an invitation. It’s not a bad strategy for Calipari, and it certainly is good for generating some headlines! Calipari explained his rationale on Twitter today.
“Met with our team today. Told them that during the season it’s about the team and sacrificing for each other – which they did this year,” Calipari said. “When the season’s over, it’s about each individual player and what’s right for them and their families.”
We previously discussed the rule as it was proposed, and the big takeaway was that this is a great move for the player, who gets a chance to be evaluated and receive critical feedback that can be used for such a big decision. It also is a big advantage for the coach, who can see his players go off to get evaluated and get another opinion on what needs to be worked on. That makes the player better, and thus makes the team better.
The new rule states they can submit their name a total of three times. If they choose to withdraw, they have until 10 days after the combine
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
It's a true win-win for the student-athlete.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2016
As long as there is no limitation on how many players can declare for the draft, expect Calipari to continue making use of this strategy for years to come. It’s a bold move, and a wise move. More coaches should consider doing the same as long as the option exists.
