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NCAA Basketball: Breaking down the biggest 2018 NBA Draft decisions

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Moritz Wagner
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Moritz Wagner /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 02: Moritz Wagner
SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 02: Moritz Wagner /

Many standout college players are testing the NBA Draft waters. How does each player’s decision impact the upcoming college basketball season?

With the NBA Draft just two months away, many of college basketball’s best players are still deciding on their futures. Players can test the draft waters and declare for the draft without an agent until May 30th when they must make a final decision.

This rule is extremely beneficial for the players but leaves most of the top teams in limbo. Teams will have to pray that their standout players return to school as finding a suitable replacement will be almost impossible.

For any team that is not a blue blood or consistently elite, losing your best players unexpectedly to the NBA Draft can have crushing effects that permeate across future seasons. Teams cannot recruit a replacement because if the star player returns, the new player will be stuck on the bench. This is an extremely tough sell to recruits unless they are certain that the player is off to the professional ranks.

While most people are writing top 10 or top 15 lists, the impact of NBA Draft decisions extends far beyond a handful of players. This article will categorize every relevant players’ NBA Draft decision. The categories are broken into players whose decisions will impact top 15 teams, top 25 teams, tournament caliber teams, and teams who project outside the at-large field.

Most of these players will return to school, but there are surprise entries every year which drastically change the landscape of college basketball. Fans should be holding their breath for the next month, even if their favorite players are not projected to be drafted.

We truly will not know the full impact until May 30th at 5 pm.