4 teams hit hardest by early entry to the NBA draft
Wednesday marked the deadline for early-entry candidates to decide whether to return to school or remain in the NBA draft, and now that the dust has settled, we can examine which programs were hit hardest.
Most coaches recruit top players knowing they won't be around for all four seasons of their collegiate eligibility, but every year there are a few puzzling decisions.
Here are the four teams that were hit hardest by early entry to the draft.
Kentucky
Gone early:
| Player | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Monk | 19.8 | 2.5 | 2.3 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 16.7 | 4 | 4.6 |
| Bam Adebayo | 13 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Isaiah Briscoe | 12.1 | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Isaac Humphries | 2.8 | 2.8 | 0.2 |
| TOTAL | 64.4 | 22.7 | 12.1 |
If there's any coach in the country that's undeterred by early entry to the NBA draft, it's Kentucky's John Calipari. The master of the "one-and-done" rule annually loses his best players and simply reloads with another star-studded recruiting class. That being said, this year is particularly cruel to Calipari in early departures, as the team's four leading scorers turned professional early. Malik Monk, De'Aaron Fox, and Bam Adebayo became the latest to leave after one season, taking almost 50 points per game with them. Don't fret for the Wildcats, though, as the top recruiting class in the country is headed to Lexington, headlined by five-star commits Kevin Knox, P.J. Washington, Nick Richards, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Quade Green.
Duke
Gone early:
| Player | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Kennard | 19.5 | 5.1 | 2.5 |
| Jayson Tatum | 16.8 | 7.3 | 2.1 |
| Frank Jackson | 10.9 | 2.5 | 1.7 |
| Harry Giles | 3.9 | 3.8 | 0.3 |
| TOTAL | 51.1 | 18.7 | 6.6 |
Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles were certainly expected to be "one-and-done" players when Mike Krzyzewski recruited them to Duke, but it's doubtful the legendary coach expected Frank Jackson to join them in making the leap to the NBA. The freshman guard turned in a strong performance at the scouting combine and made the choice to leave Duke after just one season. The Blue Devils also lost leading scorer Luke Kennard after two seasons, which makes Grayson Allen the unquestioned leader of the team next year. It's doubtful Coach K is too worried about the early departures, as Duke holds the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, with stars Wendell Carter, Trevon Duval, and Gary Trent Jr. coming to campus in the fall.
Oregon
Gone early:
| Player | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dillon Brooks | 16.1 | 3.2 | 2.7 |
| Tyler Dorsey | 14.6 | 3.5 | 1.7 |
| Jordan Bell | 10.9 | 8.8 | 1.8 |
| TOTAL | 41.6 | 15.5 | 6.2 |
With Chris Boucher and Dylan Ennis leaving school via graduation, Oregon needed some help from Dillon Brooks, Tyler Dorsey, or Jordan Bell. Unfortunately for the Ducks, all three players left early for the NBA draft, meaning the team will be without their top five scorers from last season heading into the 2017-18 schedule. Dana Altman was able to land five-star forward Troy Brown Jr. in recruiting, as well as four-star guard Victor Bailey Jr., but it looks like a rebuilding year is ahead for the defending Pac-12 champions.
Indiana
Gone early:
| Player | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Blackmon Jr. | 17 | 4.8 | 1.9 |
| Thomas Bryant | 12.6 | 6.6 | 1.5 |
| OG Anunoby | 11.1 | 5.4 | 1.4 |
| TOTAL | 40.7 | 16.8 | 4.8 |
New Indiana coach Archie Miller not only faces the challenge of the Big Ten conference, but will do so without three of the Hoosiers' top four scorers last season. James Blackmon Jr., Thomas Bryant, and OG Anunoby are all choosing to remain in the draft after going through the workout process with a number of NBA teams. Robert Johnson also went through team workouts before opting to return to school, giving Miller a potent scorer in the backcourt. As is the case with any coach moving schools, Miller's recruiting class for 2017 is slightly underwhelming, as the Hoosiers landed just one player on the ESPN 100 in Justin Smith. Indiana will certainly be in a rebuilding phase for the new regime's first season on campus.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)