2025 NBA Draft Thread

[ballinsam23]

If that is the case, what makes going to college as more of the "right thing to do" as opposed to going overseas?

Build connections, build life long friends, surrounded by basketball minds, surrounded by ex NBA players, coaches that know the NBA game, coaches who coached other top prospects, etc etc. On top of this, if you're a top prospect you'll be treated like a king while getting 30 min a game regardless if you suck or not.

Its Ws all around.

 

[wavycrocket]

I'd say those dudes would be in the exact position (money and career wise) as they are in today if they went to college.

I just dont agree that you should go overseas to develop your game.

The man came into the NBA almost 3 mil strong...

And you think the better decision was to go to Arizona for a few months to play basketball for free and hit chicks he can hit whenever.

 

[ballinsam23]

Wasnt Jennings the highest rated guard in his class too? He'd probably get a bigger under armour contract after lighting up the Pac12.

What's Ja Morant Nike contract looking like? Hell would Ja be a top 2 pick if he went overseas instead for a year or two. There's zero exposure there.

 

[frshstunna]

Not if you go to a top program.

Since u saying its not really bout development, What cant u do overseas with at least a milly in the bank that you can do at a top program?

 

[wavycrocket]

Build connections, build life long friends, surrounded by basketball minds, surrounded by ex NBA players, coaches that know the NBA game, coaches who coached other top prospects, etc etc. On top of this, if you're a top prospect you'll be treated like a king while getting 30 min a game regardless if you suck or not.

Its Ws all around.

Lifelong bonds in 6 months? .

The only people they’re building lifelong bonds with on the college experience are the dudes they’ve known since they were literally children coming up on the AAU circuit before college.

Basketball minds and pros exists in....you know, the pro leagues these guys go to overseas. They are playing professional basketball man . On top of that, They’re going to be surrounded by the NBA guys in a matter of months anyway .

You have a really idealized view of what the college experience is like for a one and done prospect. Many of these dudes stop going to classes in March. Hell, the key is to just get passed the first semester, and you don’t gotta do **** but play basketball for free until you dip and go to the league.

 

[ballinsam23]

Since u saying its not really bout development, What cant u do overseas with at least a milly in the bank that you can do at a top program?

Well he's going with his family, so they'll probably manage his money for sure.

 

[addict4sneakers]

The two pre season games against NBA guys >>>>>> going to Kansas

 

[Xennial]

idk why you're so adamant against going overseas like you work for the NCAA or something. This is an individual case by case situation, some kids will enjoy that college experience for the 6 months or some, some would prefer to go see the world, I remember Brandon Jennings talking about how he loved eating some fresh fettuccine alfredo near the Pantheon in Rome. Some kids are the type that want to be immersed in a diff culture, smash foreign chicks etc. On the financial side, the main plus is you can sign endorsement deals early, in RJ's case UA shoe deal. I'm sure the salary isn't bad considering what Ferguson and Bowen got in the Aussie League but the bigger bag is the UA deal. He's got his lifelong friends from the AAU circuit and he can make friends in Aussie/NZ as well as later when he hits the NBA.

Build connections, build life long friends, surrounded by basketball minds, surrounded by ex NBA players, coaches that know the NBA game, coaches who coached other top prospects, etc etc. On top of this, if you're a top prospect you'll be treated like a king while getting 30 min a game regardless if you suck or not.

Its Ws all around.

 

[ballinsam23]

I've red shirted for a low tier D1 school. No one goes to class, except maybe for a couple of professors

All i know is from what I see and hear, no top college prospect hated his time in his 6-8 months on campus. Unless they got into legal trouble, its mostly all love.

 

[addict4sneakers]

He’s played for the US National team for 2 years but he needs connections at a top school?

Nah

 

[ballinsam23]

My argument is that core development happens in the NBA or with an NBA trainer. I dont like the notion that going overseas makes you a better player than going to a top program for a year will.

 

[ballinsam23]

The kid didnt like the offers he got and didnt want to commit. That's literally the only reason he's going overseas. The money makes the decision easier.

 

[dacomeup]

Wasnt Jennings the highest rated guard in his class too? He'd probably get a bigger under armour contract after lighting up the Pac12.

What's Ja Morant Nike contract looking like? Hell would Ja be a top 2 pick if he went overseas instead for a year or two. There's zero exposure there.

Man, you really struggle to make sense. Ja Morant wasn't a highly touted prospect. He was a underrecruited/late bloomer type of guy. He likely wouldn't have had interest from these types of teams out of high school. And he didn't even attend one of these "top programs" that you think are so valuable. What exactly is the point here?

And Jennings was an undersized scoring guard who wasn't a slam dunk prospect. How much money did he miss out on?

 

[ballinsam23]

Jennings was a slam dunk prospect though. In high school they were crowning him best PG since who knows.

What about Anfernee Simons then?

Point is the kid will make the NBA regardless. He'll just grow up 1000x faster. I say live a little, you're 18 years old.

 

[dacomeup]

The kid didnt like the offers he got and didnt want to commit. That's literally the only reason he's going overseas. The money makes the decision easier.

He could've went anywhere. Wrong again. He didn't want to split PT during his 1 year audition for the NBA with Tre Jones maybe, but no one is denying him a scholly.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

My motto has been to never trust a prospect that opts to go overseas rather than play college ball. Has nothing to do with the quality of either program, just something about making that decision speaks to the caliber of player that they are. Or maybe it's just a coincidence

 

[wavycrocket]

The kid didnt like the offers he got and didnt want to commit. That's literally the only reason he's going overseas. The money makes the decision easier.

He could literally go to any school he wanted. Mind you, RJ Hampton was originally in the 2020 class. He pushed himself up a year, was still a top 5 prospect in his class...and would’ve been a lotto pick too.

What you mean he “didn’t like the offers he got” . He got all the offers. He chose to go make some money playing basketball before he hit the nba.

 

[ballinsam23]

He could've went anywhere. Wrong again

Not what i'm reading. Teams were drying up on scholarships.

 

[addict4sneakers]

The kid didnt like the offers he got and didnt want to commit. That's literally the only reason he's going overseas. The money makes the decision easier.

His final 5 included Duke, Kansas and Memphis. He didn’t want to play in a crowded back court.

 

[VARNELL HILL]

Kudos to ya'll for having the patience today. I can't do it.

 

[ballinsam23]

I'll agree to disagree.

He'll be in the NBA next year anyway.

 

[frshstunna]

I've red shirted for a low tier D1 school. No one goes to class, except maybe for a couple of professors

All i know is from what I see and hear, no top college prospect hated his time in his 6-8 months on campus. Unless they got into legal trouble, its mostly all love.

But wouldnt you think those 6-8 months could be even better with a bigger bank account and more free time ? If you ask an 18 yr old me to pick between a millon dollar + contract, and living in a cool place over seas for those same 6-8 months I'm damn sure not choosing Lexington, KY over that

Its a reason these cats dont even finish up the semester and sign with an agent n dip out to Vegas/Miami/LA etc to train as soon as their season over...they not sticking around for the magical campus experience and connections that you keep talking about...just 2 more months of school left and the majority blow it off

 

[wavycrocket]

Jennings was a slam dunk prospect though. In high school they were crowning him best PG since who knows.

What about Anfernee Simons then?

Point is the kid will make the NBA regardless. He'll just grow up 1000x faster. I say live a little, you're 18 years old.

Jennings wasn’t a slam dunk prospect. He always had lotto pick potential.

A slam dunk prospect is what Zion is. BJ was never that. BJ Mullen’s and Samardo Samuels were at the top of the 2008 class right there with BJ.

You really don’t know what you’re talking about here .

6 months in college isn’t some life altering experience that you’re making it out to be .

 

[ballinsam23]

There was a Woj pod some time back perfectly describing the college and overseas experience for a prospect.

System is wildly flawed. Myths everywhere on whats the best route.

 

[pums]

I dont think NZ is the way to go.

I doubt they have bags like that compared to the CBA and in Europe