A day after word broke that Villanova’s Mikal Bridges will be leaving school to go pro, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that teammate Jalen Brunson will follow suit. According to Wojnarowski, Brunson will enter the 2018 NBA draft and will forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility.
“After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to enter the June NBA draft and hire an agent,” Brunson wrote in an essay for ESPN.com.
Brunson, a two-time NCAA champion like Bridges, is coming off an incredibly productive junior year in which he averaged 18.9 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG with a shooting line of .521/.408/.802. The performance earned him 2018’s Naismith and Wooden awards for College Player of the Year.
Although he’s just the 36th-ranked player on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, Brunson boosted his stock in this year’s NCAA tournament, making an impression on NBA scouts with his leadership and toughness. Givony has the junior point guard coming off the board at No. 26 in his most recent mock draft.
Huge mistake bye Jalen. He’s one of those great College point guards every coach wants smart unselfish tough gritty all the character stuff too.
As a professional Prospect he has zero chance of playing in the NBA. People say he’ll be a 10-year backup. For reasons I will give below, today’s NBA looks for backups with NBA bodies like that guy in San Antonio Murray. He has an NBA body 6-5 with a long wingspan Plus he can shoot, has vision, can defend, he can get to the hole. He has athleticism and potential to be a great player.
Brunson’s limitations are easy to see, they are right there in front of you. He’s short squatty cannot jump is not quick and is not a good enough shooter to be a JJ Redick type.
As much as I harp on Luke Kennard at least Luke is 6-5 and can shoot a little. I hear the coaches love him so he’s got a shot. If Luke learns how to be a point guard instead of a shooting guard he might stick around.
As I watched Brunson in the championship game I could tell he wanted to prove he was a star at that level and had potential for the next level. In the first minute or so he took his team’s first three shots, and I believe he clanked all of them, without a pass to a teammate.
All he did was confirm that he’s slow squatty can’t get his own shot off or score on his own not quick enough and definitely won’t be able to stay with NBA point guards. So those that say teams love this kind of guy would rather find a Murray type who also has brunson’s leadership qualities but has an NBA body.
Let’s take Quinn Cook as an example. Quinn cook will blow by Jalen Brunson every single time. And how is Brunson, if he has to step back two feet to avoid the blow by…. going to stay up on Cook’s deadly 3? And here’s the kicker it took Cook four years bouncing around in the G league and different 10-day contracts to finally yesterday get an NBA contract.
Brunson might get picked in the second round but he’ll be a G leaguer forever. And he might not even make that because those guys are pretty darn good and super athletic.
19:51 – Jalen Brunson makes two point jump shot.
19:05 – Jalen Brunson makes two point fadeaway jump shot
Scored the first 4 points, Nova didn’t score again until the 15:37 mark.
He didn’t have his best game, but Donte had the best game of his life. Against an arguably better Kansas squad 18 pt 6ast. He’s a quality guard not a superstar. But you’re not drafting him in the lottery, you’re drafting him at the back half of the 1st round.
They clanked off the rim, hit the backboard and rolled out…, I looked away at and said something to my babe, and ball must’ve rolled back in.
Just kidding good research !!
He definitely looked to show everyone he has game though. Here’s me, I’m the leader on this team, I’m draftable.
But who wouldn’t? I’d probably do the same thing. As an example when I was in college I sucked but my strategy at 19 years old…. back then we had stripes on our Sox and they would go up our calves. ..they were long. I would wear one all white sock and one sock with the blue and red stripes at the top. I wanted to be noticed. So they saw a Crazy 6-3 Guard missing 5 out of 8 jumpers LOL but I got noticed. So I get it.
A more physical Jameer Nelson/Raymond Felton type of player. He’ll go in the mid-20s.
Jameer Nelson has long arms and Raymond Felton is super fast. So is Ty Lawson, quick as a cat. From what I see and you can’t learn athleticism.
I had to look up Brunson because he’s listed at 6-3. Draft express said 6-2, 200 with an awful 6-3.5 wingspan. Still seems smaller. Said he was bad on defense and bad on picknrolls. Yes I can see why he’s a fine college 1 and a champion but yikes.
Will wait for the pre-draft measurements to come out those are usually pretty close. He’s probably 6-2 200.