NBA Draft Discussion (DJ Wilson, Moritz Wagner)

Thanks Dylan and johnmiller. Fully agree. Makes 100% sense to declare without an agent in their position.

Also, if they’re still debating whether or not to declare, have to take that as a positive they’re leaning toward coming back heading into the workouts (and combine if invited).

Sorry to repeat this but I’ve spoken to multiple people involved, I’d fully expect both to be playing at Michigan next year. Now, that is solely based upon what they have been told up to this point. Their workouts could be great and impress more people but at this moment, they are both 90% staying.

Also, my personal opinion without any info from Matthews, I think they’ll both be back. Wilson is more likely to go but it’s still a strong lean to return. They both have talked with Matthews and current players about their potential this upcoming year.

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I don’t doubt ya. Like you called out, just never know if they show out in the workouts or combine, or if a team takes a liking to them.

If that happens, than that’s 100% awesome. You/We obviously all want them to succeed and go in the first round whether that’s this year or next year.

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Great info, thanks for sharing. RE: the potential for this coming year, am I right in taking this to mean that Matthews thinks this team has a really high ceiling next year with everyone back?

Yeah, if you’re a fringe first-rounder with obvious and possible areas for moving up – not “he’s short” but “he needs to be more aggressive consistently” or “he needs to put on a few pounds and be more solid on D and get rebounds” – it seems like a high reward/low risk move to come back. Especially if you can get your degree. You’re giving up the chance that one of the last few teams will take you and risking that your stock will drop. But if you’re really a fringe pick, there’s not a great likelihood that you’ll get picked, and DJ and Mo have the kind of skills/height that just don’t go away. It’s a bigger concern, in my view, if you’re at 10-20 and trying to get up into the top 5 or ten than where they’re at now. Maybe the biggest concern would be if they shoot poorly next year. I’d like to think that there’s probably a better chance that they’ll shoot similarly and fix some of their eminently fixable issues.

Also, I think this probably looks quite different if you came into the year thinking about the NBA vs you came into the year just trying to get minutes or stay on the court.

But we’ll see. It would make sense for them to go to the combine, etc., if they get the chance. Even if it’s just a practice run for next year.

Yes sir. I can’t state enough the positive mental state Matthews is in right now. Kentucky really had him second guessing himself. He’s been in Wagner and Wilson’s ear probably as much as anyone about returning for one more year. I stated before and I will again, Wagner, Wilson, and Matthews will make up the best SF-PF-C combo in the big ten and possibly the country. I truly believe that and want to see it pretty badly :slight_smile:

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Allowing prospects to declare without an agent is probably the first thing the NCAA has done with only the interests of the student athlete in mind in a long time. Now if only they’d get rid of the one and done rule…

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Which would you prefer? 2 and done or allow high school kids to up to the NBA? I’m torn between the two.

Both at the same time.

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Isn’t the one-and-done rule mostly dependent on the NBA rather than the NCAA?

Very nice. I like that thinking. Would improve the NBA and the college game IMO.

Yeah, it offers freedom for the kids and security for the school. [edit: The issue could be kids who commit then decide to hop to the NBA at the last second, screwing the coach’s recruiting class].

Well just like the kids who want to return to college, there would have to be a deadline set in place to where they’d have to commit to college or go to the NBA. Would still suck for coaches though

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I’d prefer either the D-league out of high school or the NBA is hands off players until they have completed two college seasons. Of course I’m tired of the players as victims of greedy programs and leagues. Let the kids choose, let the NBA spend its own money in developing their raw products.

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Agreed, I wouldn’t give the NCAA too much credit for that rule.

I’d need to see a list but I obviously agree. Ive been touting next year as “our year” for a while. Now after Walton and Irvin came through this year had that vibe. I think if we adjust our style slightly ( more post ups, fast breaks and less threes) and keep our d intensity up and work on our strokes that this team is ready for a big elite eight style run,

Just like this year our balance is ridiculous. So many guys can hurt you in different ways.

If by “mostly” you mean 100%, then yes, you are correct. Minimum length of tenure in college was established by the NBA/NBA players association CBA. North American prospects are not eligible for the NBA until 1 year after their class graduated high school. Hence the birth of the “one and done.” A limited number of prospects have bypassed college by going to Europe/China for a year and then entering the NBA draft.

Anyone else feel like one of the things that really screwed up Nigel Hayes was declaring, being told what he needed to work on, and then subsequent working on that talent lead him to be less effective?

Makes for a good story, but I think it had more to do with having to take on a bigger role and not playing around as talented of players.

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I also don’t think it helps when you’re playing 1950’s basketball in that program. Obviously you see Dekker and Kaminsky having some small NBA success but that style of play doesn’t help in college or translate well to the NBA at all.

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