NBA Draft 2021: Intriguing early-entry decisions to watch in coming month

The decision to turn pro or stay another year in college is always a tricky one. For some, the possibility of improving their game, potentially going on an NCAA tournament run, and boosting their draft stock to make more money in the next NBA Draft, is the perfect scenario.

Look at Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert. He was a projected late-first round pick, but bet on himself and was one of the best players on a one-loss Gonzaga team. Kispert is now seen as a definite first-round player and potential lottery pick.

But there are also drawbacks to returning. Playing in college again means another year without a salary while risking injury. Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey is a prime example of this. After his freshman season, Bassey had a good shot at getting drafted but elected to return. He suffered a leg injury ten games into his sophomore season, ending his year, and sinking his stock.

A player’s decision to turn pro or return is definitely basketball-based, but there are more under the surface things that the public doesn’t know about it. Ultimately, family financial situations play a huge role as well. This is why it’s important to not criticize kids for their decisions, but it’s still worth talking about the pros and cons from a basketball perspective. Without further ado, here are some of the names I’m monitoring.