After losing to the Duke Blue Devils in the National Championship, Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan sat at the postgame press conference and said, “We don’t do rent-a-player.”
Not a good look for Bo Ryan. He complains about officiating and says "we don't do rent-a-player."
— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonAspen) April 7, 2015
Well, I hate to break it to you Badgers fans, Bo Ryan supporters, and assorted believers of the clichéd “playing the game the right way”-mantra, but the “one-and-done” rule that’s become the sports equivalent of the Kardashian family is nothing new.
Leaving college after one year isn’t some new phenomena, major players spent a year developing in college before leaving in the NBA long before the NBA mandated age-rule; only 42 players have made the leap to the NBA directly from high school, a pretty low number all things considered.
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Lost in Bo Ryan’s post-loss grumbled rambling was the fact that Coach K is simply following the trend — Jahlil Okafor was going to play one year somewhere, right? But Ryan supporters can take solace in this: Bo isn’t entirely wrong; underclassmen are leaving for the greener ($) pastures of the NBA at a rate higher than ever.
In each of the past three NBA Drafts, eight of the first 10 picks have been underclassmen (add one to that if you count Dante Exum, who came out of high school in Australia). Yesterday a record SEVEN Kentucky Wildcats announced their departures, stirring the debate soup even more.
With the Apr. 26 deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2015 NBA Draft looming, players have begun announcing their intentions. Some surprise players, with their stock at an all-time high following a big performance in the NCAA Tournament, will leave before scouts search for flaws in their game. Others will need big predraft workouts to solidify a high selection. Either way, it’s safe to say the players on this list will all hear their name called on draft day.
*Quick side note* Who started the trend of adding juniors to the term underclassmen? Did I miss the sports bloggers memo? Call me old-fashioned, but this list will be underclassmen as I know them to be: freshmen and sophomores.
Players with an asterisk next to their name mean they have yet to declare for the draft.
Next: No. 10