Skip to content

Draft stock: 4 returning players who scouts will rave about in 2016-17

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

With the May 25th deadline having come and gone, college rosters are now officially set with players deciding to opt out of the 2016 NBA Draft.

While the decision to forego the money associated with pro basketball to return to the college ranks can be difficult, here's four players who should see their draft stock soar with a productive 2016-17 season.

Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson

Jaron Blossomgame's decision to return to Clemson was massive news for the Tigers, but somewhat surprising given his pro-ready talent. The 6-foot-7, 215-pound wing dominated the college ranks last year, and appears to be on a similar trajectory to former Oklahoma star Buddy Hield. The 2016 Wooden Award winner won the Big 12 player of the year award following his junior season, but still elected to return for his senior campaign.

Player Year Points per game 3-point % 2-point %
Jaron Blossomgame Junior 18.7 44.1 53.8
Buddy Hield Junior 17.4 35.9 46.9

Hield was a national phenom in his final collegiate season, pouring in 25 points per contest, and making a ridiculous 45.7 percent from beyond the arc. It will be tough to raise his already-impressive numbers in the talent-rich ACC, but if Blossomgame can get close to Hield's prolific statistics, his draft stock should soar.

Dillon Brooks, Oregon

Oregon enjoyed one of the best seasons in school history in 2015-16, and with Dillon Brooks returning to the program, the Ducks could be even better this coming campaign. Brooks was the leading scorer at 16.7 points per game, but will need to improve on his 33.8 percent shooting from deep. The Canadian born forward has ideal size at 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, and his game is very well-rounded for the professional ranks. Oregon will almost certainly be a preseason top-5 program, and will see lots of national attention. A strong season from Brooks in the national spotlight should also garner serious attention from NBA scouts.

Ivan Rabb, Cal

Ivan Rabb was thought to be a top-20 pick if he would have stayed in this year's NBA Draft, but the Cal star opted for another season at the college level. At 6-foot-10, 215-pounds, Rabb will be looking to add some size for the rigors of the professional game. The Golden Bears are his team now, as fellow star freshman Jaylen Brown opted to remain in the draft. With Rabb the focal point, the versatile power forward should see the offense run through him, and should be a guaranteed lottery pick for the 2017 Draft.

Thomas Bryant, Indiana

6-foot-10, 241-pound Thomas Bryant showed in his freshman year at Indiana that he can be a game-changer. With a ridiculous 7-feet-5 wingspan, his presence at both ends of the court should translate well at the next level. Bryant averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in his first collegiate campaign, and finished fourth in the country with a 70.2 field-goal percentage. The Big Ten All-freshman selection should be the focal point of the Hoosier offense with the graduation of Yogi Ferrell and draft defection of Troy Williams.

DraftExpress currently has Bryant as the No. 7 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, which is 20 spots higher than most publications had him being selected had he remained in this year's event. That's a significant pay increase for his rookie contract, and an extra year of development should make him a great pick for a forward-deficient team in a year's time.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox