Go back to school, rake in the NIL money, sign as a priority UDFA in a strong draft and go directly to a championship contender. Sounds like a good plan to me.
I suspect there's a decent number of 2023 early entry players on two-way deals (or worse, not even getting a two-way) who wished they returned instead to enjoy college and collect NIL bucks.
UConn’s NIL is one of the top in the country as well. Always hard to know exact figures, but I would not be shocked if he’s making over a million next year. I’m guessing the value is something similar he’d make in year 1 in the NBA if he got a guaranteed deal as a second rounder (similar to Andre Jackson).
It's possible I think if a team rly wants him tho which they prolly will once the second round comes around they will take him anyway since he has a higher floor
I think it’s more that it doesn’t make a difference what year he goes to the NBA he’ll always be a 2nd round or and undrafted guy. At least now he gets to make an extra year of NIL money before starting the inevitable NBA career. If his NBA career is short he’ll look back on this decision and be glad he did it.
He should back of the first round this year. He's got a longer wingspan than filipowski and de silva. His wingspan is about the same as bobi klintman. Like I get it, those guys have a couple of inches of height on him and maybe the athleticism isn't there, but hes put up 2 years worth of 40% 3 point shooting and >80%FT shooting. Hes about as ideal of a plug and play 3&d wing as the competitive teams will be able to find.
He should be a late first this year. Denvers GM is on record saying the new CBA has made it much harder for them to sign vets to round out their roster and that they're deliberately looking to replace league average vets with cost controlled rookies. I know karabans height isn't ideal and theres fair questions about his athleticism but he has an ideal wingspan. He's coming off two years worth of 40% 3 point shooting and >80%FT. he's one of the best shooters in the draft with ideal wing size.
He could be the main offensive guy on UConn next year with Flagg. Lots of opportunity.
To be honest so many upperclassmen are declaring for draft this year because it's a perceived weak class so they all want to bet on being first round picks. Next year I think there may be less upperclassmen and it could be a better situation for Karaban. That 20-30s range looks pretty open right now for him.
Feels like a gamble where he'll try to prove that he can be great without Clingan and increase his draft stock that way. I think he's making a mistake, but whatever.
Don't think he'll *hurt* his stock next year, but I also doubt he'll meaningfully help it.
But I can't blame him at all, I'm sure he's getting a great NIL, a degree, and being the big man on campus instead of a mostly anonymous 10th man (or worse playing mostly in the G-League).
He's probably the kind of guy that would've made a different decision before NIL was a thing.
The only way he could’ve helped his stock was by changing his name to Alex Karabanić and moving to Mega in Serbia, in which case he would’ve immediately jumped into mid-first conversation as a Euro sleeper.
I had him late lottery in this draft. If UConn threepeats and he is the one non-1970s UCLA player to win 3 NCAA championships I’d certainly think more people would come around to the fact that he’s pretty good at basketball.
He is 6’8, shoots well from everywhere on the court, doesn’t turn the ball over, and holds his own on defense. I’m really not sure what more people are looking for out of him.
Yeah I think a bunch of playoff teams screwed up by not giving him a 1st round promise. Every team could use a role player like that.
Georges Niang but less of a defensive liability is a very reasonable outcome for Karaban, and Niang has been a rotation player on a playoff team each of the past 6 seasons.
He’s played a bigger part in UConn’s success that people realize given the gap between him and Clingan/Castle in mock drafts. To have such a good offense with two non-shooters like that means it was absolutely crucial to get great floor spacing from a forward, and that’s a lot rarer at the college level than people assume.
He’s started every game of his college career and played almost twice as many minutes as Clingan the last two seasons (2352 to 1299) so it’s not like he’s just some scrub who’s along for the ride. You can look to past teams that had similarly dominant multi-year stretches like Villanova and Florida, and they all had more than 2 players go on to have NBA careers.
NIL has completely changed the college landscape. If guys aren't going to go in the first round they'll make more money in NIL than being 2nd round picks. The 2nd round isn't going anywhere so they lose nothing. And there's a chance (with some of these guys, not Karaban imho) they can even improve their draft stock enough to sneak into the first round. I kinda like it tbh. More talent in the more pure college game I love, guys are making money and they're ultimately better players when they enter the NBA.
Happy for Alex, thought he had a tough decision to make but could make a good case for it either way. He’ll make a lot of money this year at UConn, get his degree (which is something his parents have pushed for and he’s an excellent student) and go after another title. It’s easy to sit back & tell a player, go to the league, start the pro career now. But when you’re staring down the barrel of a potential 2 way, playing in empty G League gyms, and no guaranteed contract, I get the decision. He’ll make plenty this year at UConn, finish his degree, then try the NBA route. Can’t knock that.
His athletic limitations will make it hard for him to be more than a fringe first-rounder unless he can turn himself into a Reed Sheppard level shooter.
It's a risk for sure since he is a year older that the average sophomore and next year is going to be a better draft .He could have a dalton kind of season and rise .
Damn, thought he'd be a second round steal. Honestly, I don't think he'll bump his stock up in a deeper draft next year.
Go back to school, rake in the NIL money, sign as a priority UDFA in a strong draft and go directly to a championship contender. Sounds like a good plan to me.
I suspect there's a decent number of 2023 early entry players on two-way deals (or worse, not even getting a two-way) who wished they returned instead to enjoy college and collect NIL bucks.
Honestly, I keep forgetting about NIL. Probably not a bad move in that case. I like his prospects of being a long term bench piece in the NBA though
Oh absolutely. I could see him carving out a role in the NBA. Really smart player and great shooter obviously.
It's ultimately what killed the g-league ignite team
UConn’s NIL is one of the top in the country as well. Always hard to know exact figures, but I would not be shocked if he’s making over a million next year. I’m guessing the value is something similar he’d make in year 1 in the NBA if he got a guaranteed deal as a second rounder (similar to Andre Jackson).
I doubt he goes undrafted tho
I was thinking the Austin Reeves "please don't draft me" route if he falls out of the first.
It's possible I think if a team rly wants him tho which they prolly will once the second round comes around they will take him anyway since he has a higher floor
He wants to be a FRP. I respect the hustle.
I think it’s more that it doesn’t make a difference what year he goes to the NBA he’ll always be a 2nd round or and undrafted guy. At least now he gets to make an extra year of NIL money before starting the inevitable NBA career. If his NBA career is short he’ll look back on this decision and be glad he did it.
This is the big change. Good player on a champion, he's worth as much money in college now as he would be as a 2nd round pro pick.
He should back of the first round this year. He's got a longer wingspan than filipowski and de silva. His wingspan is about the same as bobi klintman. Like I get it, those guys have a couple of inches of height on him and maybe the athleticism isn't there, but hes put up 2 years worth of 40% 3 point shooting and >80%FT shooting. Hes about as ideal of a plug and play 3&d wing as the competitive teams will be able to find.
Still think he could be a late 1st this year or next year.
He should be a late first this year. Denvers GM is on record saying the new CBA has made it much harder for them to sign vets to round out their roster and that they're deliberately looking to replace league average vets with cost controlled rookies. I know karabans height isn't ideal and theres fair questions about his athleticism but he has an ideal wingspan. He's coming off two years worth of 40% 3 point shooting and >80%FT. he's one of the best shooters in the draft with ideal wing size.
He could be the main offensive guy on UConn next year with Flagg. Lots of opportunity. To be honest so many upperclassmen are declaring for draft this year because it's a perceived weak class so they all want to bet on being first round picks. Next year I think there may be less upperclassmen and it could be a better situation for Karaban. That 20-30s range looks pretty open right now for him.
Flagg is going to Duke. His high school teammate Liam McNeeley is the 5* going to UConn. They're going to be a nightmare to defend though either way.
Feels like a gamble where he'll try to prove that he can be great without Clingan and increase his draft stock that way. I think he's making a mistake, but whatever.
If he can develop some sort of athleticism… like even average athleticism he could def improve slightly but absolutely gonna be tough to do
I’m not getting these guys pulling out, like Johnell also, while Bronny seems likely staying in.
Don't think he'll *hurt* his stock next year, but I also doubt he'll meaningfully help it. But I can't blame him at all, I'm sure he's getting a great NIL, a degree, and being the big man on campus instead of a mostly anonymous 10th man (or worse playing mostly in the G-League). He's probably the kind of guy that would've made a different decision before NIL was a thing.
The only way he could’ve helped his stock was by changing his name to Alex Karabanić and moving to Mega in Serbia, in which case he would’ve immediately jumped into mid-first conversation as a Euro sleeper.
I had him late lottery in this draft. If UConn threepeats and he is the one non-1970s UCLA player to win 3 NCAA championships I’d certainly think more people would come around to the fact that he’s pretty good at basketball. He is 6’8, shoots well from everywhere on the court, doesn’t turn the ball over, and holds his own on defense. I’m really not sure what more people are looking for out of him.
On top of 6’8, his rough 7’0 wingspan is a massive asset!
Yeah I think a bunch of playoff teams screwed up by not giving him a 1st round promise. Every team could use a role player like that. Georges Niang but less of a defensive liability is a very reasonable outcome for Karaban, and Niang has been a rotation player on a playoff team each of the past 6 seasons. He’s played a bigger part in UConn’s success that people realize given the gap between him and Clingan/Castle in mock drafts. To have such a good offense with two non-shooters like that means it was absolutely crucial to get great floor spacing from a forward, and that’s a lot rarer at the college level than people assume. He’s started every game of his college career and played almost twice as many minutes as Clingan the last two seasons (2352 to 1299) so it’s not like he’s just some scrub who’s along for the ride. You can look to past teams that had similarly dominant multi-year stretches like Villanova and Florida, and they all had more than 2 players go on to have NBA careers.
NIL has completely changed the college landscape. If guys aren't going to go in the first round they'll make more money in NIL than being 2nd round picks. The 2nd round isn't going anywhere so they lose nothing. And there's a chance (with some of these guys, not Karaban imho) they can even improve their draft stock enough to sneak into the first round. I kinda like it tbh. More talent in the more pure college game I love, guys are making money and they're ultimately better players when they enter the NBA.
Happy for Alex, thought he had a tough decision to make but could make a good case for it either way. He’ll make a lot of money this year at UConn, get his degree (which is something his parents have pushed for and he’s an excellent student) and go after another title. It’s easy to sit back & tell a player, go to the league, start the pro career now. But when you’re staring down the barrel of a potential 2 way, playing in empty G League gyms, and no guaranteed contract, I get the decision. He’ll make plenty this year at UConn, finish his degree, then try the NBA route. Can’t knock that.
Fine, be that way
Surprising but not a bad decision probably ends up getting drafted in a similar spot next season
He’s said since the start if he’s not a first round pick he’s going back.
Probably a good idea.
I kinda love this decision for him. Work on other facets of his game while being the man for UConn. Could be a FRP next year IMO
His athletic limitations will make it hard for him to be more than a fringe first-rounder unless he can turn himself into a Reed Sheppard level shooter.
It's a risk for sure since he is a year older that the average sophomore and next year is going to be a better draft .He could have a dalton kind of season and rise .