NBA DRAFT COMBINE Iffy on draft? NCAA rule ‘a win-win'...

[CaribouJim]

By Shannon Ryan Chicago Tribune

Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes will keep his mind and his phone line open until May 25 as he waits to hear from an NBA team willing to select him in the draft.

“If a team tells my family or myself, ‘Hey, we want you,' then my decision is made,” Hayes said Friday at the NBA draft combine at Quest Multisport Complex. “If they want to wait until May 24 (at) 11:58 p.m. to let me know, that's when it will happen. It's really still up in the air.”

Hayes, a junior last season, was one of 17 players at the combine who had not signed with an agent, preserving his right to return to college and retain his eligibility. Thanks to a new NCAA rule, players have extended time this year to decide about their futures.

Prospects can decide to return to college within 10 days of the combine ending. Last year, players had until only April 16 to pull their names from the draft, which was just 10 days after the NCAA tournament ended.

“It's definitely good for the players,” said Hayes, who is not projected as a first- or second-round pick in most mock drafts. “It gives them a chance to not make a mistake.

“A lot of kids listen to people around them saying, ‘You should go, you should go,' and they end up going and they're not ready. Then they're in Czechoslovakia or the D-League. (The rule) is a win-win.”

The rule makes it tougher on college coaches to plan for next season and organize their rosters, but it benefits players and NBA teams, who can get an extra look at on-the-fence players at the combine.

Hayes and Maryland point guard Melo Trimble were two players scouts roundly said this week should return to college, according to a tweet from ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

“I just want to feel the process out,” said Trimble, a sophomore last season whom DraftExpress.com projects to be picked in the second round (38th overall) by the Bucks. “Anything can change within a week. (Thursday) I didn't put on the best performance I could have put on. (Friday) was better. Going through these (upcoming individual team) workouts, I'm going to have to show what I can do best.”

Trimble said he has no regrets about returning to Maryland after his freshman season, when his draft stock was higher.

“I just right away said I would come back,” he said. “I had to come back to get better, even though my situation isn't the same.”

Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan and Indiana forward Troy Williams also were among the 17 combine participants who hadn't signed with an agent, as was Syracuse guard Malachi Richardson, the most outstanding player of the NCAA Midwest Regional at the United Center. Richardson, however, reportedly told NBA teams Friday he is staying in the draft.

Most of the bubble players were waiting to hear an assurance from an NBA team that they would be selected in the first round before making a decision.

“The second round or after that is not as glorious or not the path I want to take,” Hayes said.

Risky or not, some players decided to sign with an agent despite questions about their stock.

“I feel like I was ready for the NBA,” said Connecticut sophomore forward Daniel Hamilton, projected by NBAdraft.net to be picked in the second round (33rd overall) by the Clippers. He signed with an agent before the combine.

“I didn't want to just go in and test the waters. I felt like I was ready and I just went with my heart. It definitely motivates me when people question my decision. Some people have their own opinion. I want to prove them all wrong. That's what I'm here to do.”

The players on the fence understood what was at stake at the combine but appreciated having options.

“I have to go as hard as I can,” Trimble said. “Whether the feedback is good or not, I'm going to be honest with myself and make a decision from there.”

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[DCwarrior]

Big 10 will be tougher next year because it appeared all their borderline players who are testing the water really stunk it up at the combine and will almost be forced to return to college.

[Goose85]

Sounds like Hayes really wants to go, which is why all these guys test the waters I'd think.

It will be interesting to see how the guys that return to college play their next season. If told to improve outside shot, do they go out of their way to show they can shoot it? If Whitehead is told to improve point skills, does he come back and try too hard to be like Magic?

Overall, a great process for the players, but some will still go despite the feedback, like Vander did.

[CaribouJim]

I wonder how things would have turned out with Vander if this rule was in at the time. If the consensus was that he was not ready and/or would not be drafted would he have come back or would he come out anyway or maybe he would have an agent before the combine even began meaning he was leaving regardless - I'm thinking the latter.

[Phantom Warrior]

Vander may not have even been invited to the combine. I don't recall if he was invited to Portsmouth or Chicago, but if the NBA had had this approach in place when Vander left, there would have been even more early entrants that year. I kind of doubt that Vander would have been one of the participants in the combine.

Blueitt wasn't invited this year, and he had a better sophomore year than Vander had junior year. Jenkins wasn't invited either. Nor was Aricidiacono. Dunham wasn't either. Same with Ochefu.

Outside of Henry and Dunn, the only other BE invitees, I think were Bentil, Whitehead, and Hart. They were pretty much the top five players in the league this year. In fact, those five, plus Blueitt, made up the first-team all-conference team.

[Halo]

Full court press being put on by UW media and coaches to convince Hayes to stay another year.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/c...ccdf8c807.html

[IrwinFletcher]

If Hayes was a Warrior, we would be saying the same thing. And the reason we would be saying this is that he should come back for his senior year. Much like Vander shouldn't have left, Hayes is at best a 2nd rounder and that guarantees you nothing.

[Halo]

If Hayes was a Warrior, we would be saying the same thing. And the reason we would be saying this is that he should come back for his senior year. Much like Vander shouldn't have left, Hayes is at best a 2nd rounder and that guarantees you nothing.

Were newspaper reporters on the blogs and writing columns on it? Maybe they were.
Hayes is a much different cat then Blue was though. Hayes can't stand the NCAA and clearly wants to get paid. Been to two final fours already. It's his life.

[TedBaxter]

Were newspaper reporters on the blogs and writing columns on it? Maybe they were.
Hayes is a much different cat then Blue was though. Hayes can't stand the NCAA and clearly wants to get paid. Been to two final fours already. It's his life.

The NCAA has been so tough on Nigel. He's a pretty arrogant personality.

[Goose85]

Just curious. I would think most kids that test the waters would really like to be able to stay in the draft. From what I've ready, Hayes really wants to be in the NBA, and I can't blame him.

I do worry about some of these guys that may not be all in for college, but are somewhat forced to go back. Do they abandon the team aspect and concentrate on the couple things the NBA people told them they need to improve? I could just see some players that might be close, like Hayes and Whitehead, getting away from what made them very good college players in an attempt to make them more attractive to the League. Every kid is different, but it will be interesting to watch.