New rules set out by the NCAA allow underclassmen declared for the NBA Draft to return to school following the NBA Combine, provided that they haven’t hired an agent or accepted any gifts that would compromise their eligibility.
This means the number of underclassmen declared for the NBA Draft is exponentially higher than in years passed. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the names who have made their initial intentions known, moving on to the centers:
Stephen Zimmerman, Fr., UNLV
Damian Jones, Jr., Vanderbilt
Amida Brimah, Jr., UConn
Chieck Diallo, Kansas, Fr.
Chinanu Onuaku, Louisville, Soph.
Thon Maker, Prep School
Jakob Poeltl (expected), Utah, Soph.
Diamond Stone (expected), Maryland, Fr.
Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga, Fr.
Deyonta Davis, Michigan State, Fr.
This group got a shake up on Sunday evening when it was announced that prep phenom and YouTube sensation Thon Maker would forego his college eligibility to test the NBA Draft process. Maker has reportedly already graduated high school and spent the past year at a Canadian prep school, meaning that given the way the Draft rules are technically written, he should be eligible for the Draft.
Of course, beyond Maker, there are plenty of options here. Zimmerman has tons of potential as a stretch five; Brimah is one of the best shot blocking prospects in recent memory; Sabonis and Stone are both physical back-to-the-basket scorers who had monster games this season.
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