Ivan Rabb returning to Cal 'to get better'

It's difficult to find a player who doesn't want to take advantage of the NBA's new draft process, yet one projected lottery pick didn't budge.

"I just wanted to improve," Cal freshman Ivan Rabb told ESPN's Jeff Goodman, explaining his decision to forgo the draft for another round of school. "I didn't just want to be in the NBA. I wanted to make sure I was ready when I got there."

The lanky 6-foot-11 forward averaged 12.5 points and 8.6 rebounds last year, but often played second fiddle - and sometimes even third fiddle - to Jaylen Brown and Tyrone Wallace.

That will likely change next year, with Brown and Wallace out of the picture and the reins of Cuonzo Martin's program essentially up for grabs. Rabb said that opportunity was enough incentive to turn down the pros for another year and focus on his next steps.

"This was the right decision for me. I just want to get better. ... I know I need to get stronger," he said. "I want to come back better defensively, a better shooter, a better rebounder, more comfortable on the floor. I want to be the leader. I wanted to have a bigger role."

Rabb knows his decision to return is a risk, given the guaranteed coin he's passing up. However, he pointed to previous instances in which a player benefited from returning, despite expectations and pressure to decide otherwise.

"Marcus Smart's stock may have dropped a bit, but he came in ready to play," Rabb said. "Kris Dunn became an alpha dog this past year. This year will be a chance for me to show what I can do."