Holding Court: The ACC’s Pivotal Early Entry Decisions

 

 

 

 

With Withdrawal Deadline Looming, ACC’s Pivotal Early Entry Decisions Mostly Following NBA Projections

By David Glenn

 

Although much has changed in American basketball over the past 40-plus years, college players’ typical approach to their NBA draft early entry decisions has remained at least partly intact.

While there were and still are exceptions to this general rule, those stay-or-go prospects most likely to be selected in the draft’s first round (e.g., UNC junior forward Harrison Ingram) tend to jump to the NBA.

On the other hand, players less likely to be first-round selections tend to be a mixed bag of those who turn pro early anyway, those who “test the NBA waters” (by visiting teams and/or getting feedback from NBA executives while maintaining the option of remaining in college) and those who stay at their current school (e.g., UNC senior guard RJ Davis).

Perhaps the biggest change in recent years is reflected by a fourth category, which symbolizes the modern, transfer-heavy culture of college sports. Nowadays, players already on the NBA’s radar are far more likely to switch schools than at any time in history.

This year, the six ACC underclassmen most likely to be selected in the draft’s first round all opted to turn pro with college eligibility remaining: freshman Duke guard Jared McCain, sophomore Duke forward Kyle Filipowski, freshman Pitt guard Bub Carrington, freshman Miami guard Kyshawn George, sophomore Virginia forward Ryan Dunn and UNC’s Ingram.

California forward Jaylon Tyson, who would have been a senior for the Bears as they enter the ACC in 2024-25, also opted to turn pro early, as another possible first-round selection.

All seven players later were among the 78 prospects invited to the NBA Combine at the request of league executives, indicating a much higher probability that they are being seriously considered for selection in this year’s draft, which consists of two rounds and 58 (rather than the usual 60) total picks. Two of the NBA’s 30 teams had to forfeit their second-round selections this season because of penalties related to player-tampering violations.

In a few cases, college players chose to both enter the NCAA’s transfer portal and test the NBA draft waters. Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech all have received commitments from such incoming transfers (see chart below) for 2024-25 but may not know if they will actually enroll for another three weeks.

The NBA released its official list of early entry candidates April 30. Because of clerical errors, the names of former North Carolina guard Caleb Love (now with Arizona) and current Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis were inadvertently omitted from the NBA’s original release. Both players confirmed their desire to go through the “testing the waters” process, though, and their names later were added to the NBA’s official list.

Under NCAA rules, players who filed as 2024 early NBA entries have until May 29 to withdraw from the draft without penalty. This year’s draft will be held June 26-27 at the Barclays Center in New York City.

Under NBA rules, only first-round draft picks automatically receive guaranteed contracts, although sometimes second-round selections negotiate for guaranteed money.

The #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, for example, will receive a total of more than $24 million (guaranteed) over his first two NBA seasons. The selecting team then has third- and fourth-year options for similarly large (i.e., more than $11 million per season) amounts.

The #30 (and final) first-round selection in this year’s draft will receive a total of more than $4 million (guaranteed) over his first two NBA seasons. The selecting team then has third- and fourth-year options for similar (i.e., more than $2 million per season) amounts.

The NBA’s minimum salary is now slightly more than $1 million, an amount some elite players now can earn in Name-Image-Likeness money at the college level. NBA players on two-way contracts (i.e., those who may split time between the NBA and the one-level-down G League) earned as much as $559,782 or as “little” as $167,291 during the 2023-24 season.

Here’s a quick snapshot of prominent ACC players’ initial 2024 NBA draft early entry decisions. Again, those who continue to follow NCAA amateurism rules and withdraw from the NBA draft pool by the May 29 deadline still have the option of playing at the college level in 2024-25.

Player, Class, School, 2024 NBA Draft Projection — Decision

G Jared McCain, Fr., Duke, 1st round — turning pro-A
F Kyle Filipowski, So., Duke, 1st round — turning pro-A
G Bub Carrington, Fr., Pitt, probable 1st round — turning pro-A
G Kyshawn George, Fr., Miami, probable 1st round — turning pro-A
F Ryan Dunn, So., Virginia, probable 1st round — turning pro-A
F Jaylon Tyson, Jr., California, possible 1st round — turning pro-A
F Harrison Ingram, Jr., UNC, possible 1st round — turning pro-A
G Hunter Sallis, Jr., Wake Forest, possible 1st round — testing waters-A
F PJ Hall, Sr., Clemson, probable 2nd round — turning pro-A
G Reece Beekman, Sr., Virginia, probable 2nd round — turning pro-A
F Jamir Watkins, Jr., Florida State, probable 2nd round — testing waters^-A
G Wooga Poplar, Jr., Miami, probable 2nd round — testing waters^-B
G Judah Mintz, So., Syracuse, possible 2nd round — turning pro-B
F Baye Ndongo, Fr., Georgia Tech, possible 2nd round — testing waters-B
F Baba Miller, So., Florida State, possible 2nd round — testing waters^-B
F Norchad Omier, Sr., Miami, possible 2nd round — testing waters^
F Andrew Carr, Sr., Wake Forest, possible 2nd round — testing waters^
F Mohamed Diarra, Sr., NC State, possible 2nd round — turning pro
F Matthew Cleveland, Jr., Miami, possible 2nd round — staying in school
G Tyrese Proctor, So., Duke, possible 2nd round — staying in school
G RJ Davis, Sr., UNC, likely undrafted — staying in school
G Nijel Pack, Sr., Miami, likely undrafted — staying in school
G Markus Burton, Fr., Notre Dame, likely undrafted — testing waters
G Jeremy Roach, Sr., Duke, likely undrafted — testing waters^
G Javian McCollum*, Jr., Georgia Tech, likely undrafted — testing waters
G Jalen Blackmon*, Jr., Miami, likely undrafted — testing waters
G Dion Brown*, So., Boston College, likely undrafted — testing waters
G Chase Hunter, Sr., Clemson, likely undrafted — testing waters
G Miles Kelly, Jr., Georgia Tech, likely undrafted — testing waters^
F Tobi Lawal*, So., Virginia Tech, likely undrafted — testing waters

A—invited to NBA Combine
B—invited to G League Elite Camp
^—also has entered NCAA transfer portal
*—2024 signee/commitment (hasn’t yet played in ACC)
NOTE: Any senior (Sr.) listed here had/has the option, under COVID-related NCAA rules, of playing a fifth college season in 2024-25.

All players who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility, of course, also are eligible (automatically) for the NBA draft.

ACC players fitting that description this year include UNC center Armando Bacot (a 2024 second-team All-ACC selection), Pittsburgh forward Blake Hinson (first-team All-ACC), Boston College forward Quinten Post (second-team All-ACC), NC State guard DJ Horne (third-team All-ACC), Clemson guard Joe Girard (honorable mention All-ACC), NC State forward DJ Burns and Virginia Tech guard Hunter Cattoor.

It’s possible none of those fifth- or sixth-year college players will be selected in June. Among that group of “super seniors,” only Post was invited to the NBA Combine.

In other ACC-related news, former Wake Forest power forward Bobi Klintmann and former Louisville signee Trentyn Flowers also are entering the 2024 NBA draft, and each received an invitation to the NBA Combine. Klintmann (Cairns) and Flowers (Adelaide) played the 2023-24 season in the National Basketball League, Australia’s top professional league.

Two more former ACC players — the aforementioned Love (Arizona) and former Wake Forest guard Robert McCray V (Jacksonville) — also are among those testing the NBA waters while maintaining their college eligibility. Love was invited to the G League Elite Camp (held May 11-12), which includes second-tier professional prospects hoping to earn an invitation to the NBA Combine, which this year will take place May 12-19 in Chicago.

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David Glenn (DavidGlennShow.com, @DavidGlennShow) is an award-winning author, broadcaster, editor, entrepreneur, publisher, speaker, writer and university lecturer (now at UNC Wilmington) who has covered sports in North Carolina since 1987.

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