NBA Draft 2021: 5 players that would benefit from another year at school

Most college basketball players of elite talent are currently looking towards the 2021 NBA Draft as their next big event. Sixty players – most from the college ranks – will be selected to pursue their professional dreams in the world’s best basketball league.

The rules around underclassmen declaring for the draft have been relaxed over the years, making it easier for players to test out the waters and hear about their stock before deciding if they want to stay in the process or return to school. Dozens of underclassmen are still testing out the process this draft cycle.

Players are entitled to play this process out and they all should – there’s no harm in it. But every year, there are more players that enter the draft than selections made or roster spots available in the NBA. Some underclassmen would be better served to return to college for another year.

This is not to say that the following players can’t be great NBA ballers. If they stick in the process and make it to the league or the G League, they could still develop into full-time rotation members at the next level.

This is just to say that their draft stock could be much higher a year from now with additional seasoning at the college level. The 2021 NBA Draft has a lot of lottery talent and these players likely won’t be selected in the top half of the draft. A year from now, however, that’s a much more distinct possibility, according to recent mocks from NBADraft.net.

Here are five players who should consider returning to school next season.