Thoughts on NBA Draft in October

[Mr Vulture]

With the NBA looking to start play the end of July, with an end date of October 12th (latest date), what are your thoughts on kids declared for the draft? It sounds like the draft and free agency would both happen in October but after the completion of play. Seems to me that decisions will need to be made by September with classes starting. Now, I suppose they could hold workouts for draft prospects in August. The hard part would be how would they go about handling workouts from a testing and protocol standing.

My personal feeling is that if a kid is not going to be a first round pick guaranteed, they would be best served by coming back to school. I tended to think all three of our guys would come back anyway, with Petrusev the most likely to stay in the draft.

[GonzaGAW]

- for the players the timing sucks of course
- but they will still get the 'feedback' and 'input' from nba professionals on how their game might transfer to the nba, and what interest g.m's might have in them. just not all the face time, court time as typical.
- i agree, unless a player is not already on 75% of the mock draft boards, they prudent thing to do is head back to school.
- i always believed cory and joel would return to school, i think given the timing of the draft and college ball, they are both a lock to return.
- petrusev on the other hand, i believe he simply wants to play professional ball, nba or oversea. i believe chances are better than not that he does not return.

[Zag1203]

Even though the draft has been pushed back, players have been undergoing evaluations and interviews with teams over the past month and a half. At this point, if underclassmen don't have a strong connection to a team or a promise to be taken at a certain pick, they should come back. Gonzaga specifically will get new players on campus on June 15th with workouts and summer functions likely also happening then. I'm sure other programs are too. I suspect players across the country will be making their decision in the coming 2 weeks even though the deadline will be extended even longer into the summer.

[Mr Vulture]

I tend to think that it will be awhile before Ayayi and Petrusev make decisions as they are likely overseas right now (I could be wrong). Kispert I expect to come back, as do I feel Ayayi will, so he may make the call the first of the three. I could see a scenario, not saying it will happen, where Petrusev decides to stay in the draft and if he's not taken, just stay in Europe and play professionally without coming back to the States.

[Zags11]

I think kispert comes back at 80%. Ayayi at 95% and Petru at 65%.

My personal belief is they all return. Zags win the title and they are all top 20 picks.

[jsnider]

I think kispert comes back at 80%. Ayayi at 95% and Petru at 65%.

My personal belief is they all return. Zags win the title and they are all top 20 picks.

I will take that one Zags11. Love it.

[Zag1203]

I tend to think that it will be awhile before Ayayi and Petrusev make decisions as they are likely overseas right now (I could be wrong). Kispert I expect to come back, as do I feel Ayayi will, so he may make the call the first of the three. I could see a scenario, not saying it will happen, where Petrusev decides to stay in the draft and if he's not taken, just stay in Europe and play professionally without coming back to the States.

I am 95% sure that both are in the US right now. I don't think any of our players were advised to leave the US during COVID.

[StatZag19]

NBA has set an August 25 Draft Lottery and October 15 Draft, sources say.

This is interesting. Likely means the date to withdraw from the draft is probably early August. Classes start for many universities in mid-late August.

If any of the 3 are sure they're not staying in the draft, logic suggests they'd withdraw before the June 15th date of voluntary activities. That's assuming GU opens campus by then for athletes to come in and train. A lot of variables here, to be honest.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1...879392257?s=19