2017 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

John Collins To Enter NBA Draft

April 12th, 2017 at 8:52pm CST by Luke Adams

April 12, 8:52 pm: Collins will hire an agent and remain in the draft, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).

March 22, 3:46 pm: Wake Forest power forward John Collins will test the NBA draft waters this spring. Evan Daniels of Scout.com reports (via Twitter) that Collins will enter the draft, but won’t sign with an agent, giving him the option of withdrawing his name before May’s deadline.

Collins, a sophomore, enjoyed a breakout year at Wake Forest, averaging an impressive 19.2 PPG and 9.8 RPG in just 26.6 minutes per contest. He also chipped in 1.6 BPG and shot 62.2% from the floor.

ESPN’s Chad Ford notes that Collins has an “old-school” game at power forward, excelling in the low post in addition to rebounding and blocking shots. However, the 19-year-old lacks an “advanced perimeter game,” prompting some scouts to wonder how his game will translate to the NBA, Ford writes. Collins shows up at 22nd on ESPN’s big board — DraftExpress is a little more bullish, placing him at No. 15.

Check out our full list of early entrants to see which other underclassmen are putting their names in the 2017 draft pool.

Dillon Brooks Enters 2017 NBA Draft

April 12th, 2017 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Oregon forward Dillon Brooks will enter the 2017 NBA draft, he announced today in a video posted to YouTube. Brooks will sign with an agent, forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility, per Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports (Twitter link).

Brooks, 21, is coming off a solid junior year at Oregon in which he averaged 16.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.7 APG in just 25.3 minutes per contest. He also improved his three-point shot — after making just 33.8% of his attempts in his first two years, the 6’6″ forward connected on 40.1% in 2016/17.

Ranked 42nd on Jonathan Givony’s big board at DraftExpress.com and 54th on Chad Ford’s ESPN board, Brooks projects as a potential second-round pick this June. As Ford outlines, the Oregon junior is an excellent scorer whose defensive struggles “continue to hurt him a bit” with scouts at the NBA level.

Check out the full list of early entrants for this year’s draft right here.

Draft Updates: Bryant, Humphries, Blakeney

April 12th, 2017 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

Four members of the Indiana Hoosiers announced on Tuesday that they’ll be entering their names in the 2017 NBA draft, and at least one – OG Anunoby – will hire an agent, forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility. Anunoby’s decision was previously reported, as was James Blackmon Jr.‘s decision to test the draft waters.

Of the two other Indiana prospects entering the draft, sophomore center Thomas Bryant is the more intriguing prospect. He ranks 43rd on Jonathan Givony’s big board at DraftExpress.com and 50th on Chad Ford’s list at ESPN.com, with Ford suggesting that Bryant would likely come off the board in the 25-50 range despite a somewhat disappointing sophomore season. The other Hoosier testing the draft waters is junior guard Robert Johnson, ranked 47th among NCAA juniors by DraftExpress.

Here are a few more of the latest early entrant decisions:

Kentucky sophomore center Isaac Humphries has decided to turn pro and will sign with an agent, the school announced today in a press release. Humphries is definitely no lock to be drafted, but Kentucky’s announcement notes that he may explore international opportunities, with Evan Daniels of Scout.com tweeting that Europe and Australia are possibilities for the young big man.
LSU sophomore Antonio Blakeney will enter the draft, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports relays (Twitter link). A source tells Rothstein that the shooting guard has not yet decided whether he will hire an agent.
USC junior guard Elijah Stewart will test the draft waters without hiring an agent, according to Jonathan Givony (Twitter link). DraftExpress ranks Stewart 16th among juniors, but he’s not currently on the site’s top-100 list.

Jarrett Allen To Enter 2017 NBA Draft

April 12th, 2017 at 7:54am CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 12: Allen has decided to keep his name in the draft and will sign with an agent, a source tells Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports (Twitter link).

MARCH 21: Texas freshman Jarrett Allen will enter the 2017 NBA draft, but won’t immediately hire an agent, reports Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports. By not hiring an agent, Allen will retain the ability to test the draft waters and withdraw his name at a later date, retaining his NCAA eligibility.

Assuming he does keep his name in the draft, Allen is projected as a probable first-round pick. Both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com view the 6’11” center as a top-20 prospect for 2017, with Givony placing him 12th and Ford ranking him 16th.

In his first – and possibly only – season as a Longhorn, Allen averaged 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 1.5 BPG for the club, shooting 56.6% from the field. According to Ford, some scouts have questions about Allen’s toughness, but love his athleticism and his 7’6″ wingspan.

Our full list of early entrants for the 2017 NBA draft can be found right here.

Zach Collins Declares For Draft

April 11th, 2017 at 7:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Gonzaga’s Zach Collins has declared for the draft and will hire an agent, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). Goodman tweets that numerous NBA executives feel Collins will be selected in the 8-20 range.

The center helped lead the Bulldogs to their first national championship game appearance this past season. He was first on the team in blocks per game, swatting 1.8 per contest, and he pulled down 5.9 rebounds per game, which was good for third on the team.

Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranks Collins as the 13th best prospect in the upcoming draft. Givony notes that the freshman had his best game of the season against South Carolina in this year’s Final Four, but cautions that Collins is a prospect that will need some time to develop.

Draft Notes: Fultz, Ball, Hutchison, 2018

April 11th, 2017 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks currently have the sixth-best odds in the NBA draft lottery, which would give them a modest 6.3% chance to land the first overall pick. Despite those fairly long odds, potential No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz has considered the possibility of playing for New York, and was in attendance on Sunday at Madison Square Garden to take a first-hand look at the team and its triangle system.

As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details, Fultz said it would be “amazing” to be drafted by the Knicks, and didn’t express any reservations about the triangle.

“I think I could play in any system,” Fultz said. “I’m very versatile, so it was cool to see that. It’s a lot of openings and stuff like that, so that’s why I came to see that in person.”

Let’s round up a few more draft-related items…

Former UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball is the biggest threat to Fultz for that No. 1 pick, but if he had to choose between being drafted first overall and being selected by the Lakers, Ball would opt for the Lakers, he recently told ESPN (video link). Ball also made the case for why clubs should draft him over Fultz, suggesting that he’s more capable of leading a team than the Washington point guard is.
Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison will enter his name in the 2017 NBA draft pool, but won’t hire an agent, according to an announcement from the school. “Our coaches have informed me that NBA teams are expressing interest, and I feel that I need to take advantage of the opportunity to be evaluated and find out where I truly stand,” Hutchison said in a statement. The junior shooting guard, who isn’t considered a top prospect by DraftExpress or ESPN, will have until May 24 to decide whether to withdraw his name and return to Boise State.
Much has been made of the strength of the 2017 draft class, but as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in an Insider-only piece, the 2018 class projects to have several elite prospects at the top too. However, it won’t be as deep as 2017’s class. “[The 2017] class was one of the most talented and deepest I’ve ever seen,” one NBA GM said. “[For 2018], I love three or four guys and that’s about it.” Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri), Luka Doncic (Real Madrid), and DeAndre Ayton (Arizona) are the three players at the top of Ford’s 2018 board.
Former Green Bay power forward Kerem Kanter, who was said to be testing the draft process before potentially graduating and transferring, has committed to Xavier, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. As such, the brother of Enes Kanter figures to postpone his pro career for another year.

Tyler Dorsey Declares For Draft

April 10th, 2017 at 7:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Tyler Dorsey has declared for the draft and will sign an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. Dorsey led the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four since 1939 during this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the point guard as the 53rd-best prospect in the upcoming draft. Ford notes that Dorsey is a good passer and an elite scorer, but adds that the sophomore needs to improve his decision-making.

The 21-year-old averaged 14.6 points per game this past season. He added 1.7 assists per contest and shot 42.3% from downtown.

Draft Notes: Comanche, Haas, Bozic

April 10th, 2017 at 3:43pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Arizona’s Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft waters, but will not hire an agent, Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star relays.

“I am excited about the opportunity to explore my NBA options, gather information and dedicate the next month to reaching my goals of becoming an NBA player,” Comanche said. “At the conclusion of this process, my family and I will make the best decision for my future both on and off the court. I also want to thank coach [Sean] Miller and the Arizona staff for supporting my decision.”

The Sophomore is not ranked in Draft Express’ Top 100. Here’s more on the upcoming draft:

Purdue’s Isaac Haas has declared for the draft, but will also not hire an agent, according to the University’s Twitter feed. Prospects who declare, but opt not to hire an agent, have until May 24 to make a final decision.
Luka Bozic has entered the draft, according to Milan Nikolic of Adriatic Region (Twitter link). Bozic is a 20-year-old, 6’5″ guard who plays for KK Zagreb in the Croation League.
UCLA’s Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh are entering the draft, according to Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports. Neither player has hired an agent.

D.J. Wilson, Moritz Wagner Testing Draft Waters

April 10th, 2017 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Michigan Wolverines, power forward D.J. Wilson and center Moritz Wagner, announced today that they’ll test the 2017 NBA draft waters, entering their names without hiring agents. Both Wilson and Wagner made their announcements on Twitter.

Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, is viewed as a possible first-round pick, ranking 34th on the DraftExpress big board and 31st on ESPN’s list of top prospects. Wilson received significant playing time in 2016/17 for the first time in his college career, and responded by averaging 11.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.5 BPG, with a shooting line of .538/.373/.833.

According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, Wilson has “all the tools” necessary to be an effective modern NBA power forward, including an ability to protect the rim and shoot from outside. Ford notes that Wilson’s mediocre rebounding numbers are hurting him a little, but he still projects as a late first-rounder or early second-rounder if he keeps his name in the draft.

As for Wilson’s teammate Wagner, the 6’11” sophomore doesn’t show up at all on DraftExpress’ top 100 list, but Ford is bullish on the 19-year-old’s draft prospects, placing him 25th overall on ESPN’s big board. Ford acknowledges that Wagner’s sophomore year was inconsistent, but notes that he had a huge game against Louisville in the NCAA tournament and “ticks a lot of boxes” for NBA scouts. Wagner averaged 12.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG with a .395 3PT% in his sophomore year.

Johnathan Motley Declares For 2017 NBA Draft

April 10th, 2017 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Baylor power forward Johnathan Motley has decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft to test the waters, the school announced today in a press release. Motley won’t hire an agent, which will allow him to withdraw his name by the May 24 deadline if he wants to retain his NCAA eligibility.

“Johnathan had a tremendous junior season, and he became one of the all-time Baylor greats,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said in a statement. “Entering his name into the draft without hiring an agent gives him a chance to get feedback from NBA teams and make an informed decision for his future. We want what’s best for him and his family, and Baylor Nation will fully support him along the way.”

Motley, who will turn 22 next month, is coming off a breakout junior year in which he averaged 17.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 1.1 BPG. According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, NBA scouts would like to see him shoot and make a few more three-pointers — if he were able to consistently make outside shots, he could be a first-round pick, though he’s more likely to come off the board in the second round, assuming he remains in the draft.

Ford ranks Motley 46th overall on his big board at ESPN.com, while Jonathan Givony has the 6’9″ junior at No. 39 on his top-100 list at DraftExpress.com.