Brown 4th Tiger to enter draft

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

Auburn basketball: Bryce Brown becomes 4th Tiger to enter NBA Draft

AUBURN, Ala. — One more Auburn basketball star will at least test the NBA Draft waters, as shooting guard Bryce Brown is putting his name into consideration.

The program announced Wednesday morning Brown will enter the 2018 NBA Draft but not hire an agent, giving him an option to stay in school for the 2018-19 season.

“I want to thank God for everything he has done for me and the way he has led me,” Brown said in a statement. “I had a dream to play in the NBA one day and I want to pursue that dream. Testing the waters will be a great opportunity for me and my family to see where I’m at in the process.

 

“I want to thank my teammates and my coaches for putting me in great situations to succeed and show what I can do on the court. I want to thank the fans and the Auburn family as well. Together, we created something special this past season with the best home-court advantage in the country.”

MORE: Auburn basketball’s Desean Murray announces departure from program

Brown is the fourth Auburn player to declare for the NBA Draft after the Tigers’ SEC championship campaign and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Brown was a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press last season after averaging 15.9 points and hitting 107 attempts from 3-point range. He is not currently projected to be a selection in this year’s NBA draft.

“I’m not sure there is a player in college basketball who has improved more over the last three years than Bryce Brown,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. “He is an elite shooter, an improved playmaker and a great defender. We’re really excited for this opportunity for Bryce.”

Small forward Mustapha Heron, point guard Jared Harper and center Austin Wiley have also entered the draft. Heron is the only one who entered with the intent of hiring an agent, which means he will not be back with the Tigers next season.

Auburn has also lost starting power forward Desean Murray and reserve point guard Davion Mitchell in recent weeks. Murray announced Tuesday night he would not be back for the 2018-19 season, opting to either graduate transfer or pursue a pro career.

[Tiger 8,818]

I am happy we have players good enough to even be in this position

 

Edit: I also know in the back of my mind that Bryce ain't goin anywhere so that probably eases me some lol

[boomstick 1,315]

Figured this was coming soon. I’ve heard Spencer might test the waters as well, but I’m not sure if he actually will. 

[bigbird 60,497]

What?!?! Say it isn't so...

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

I want the combine to hurry up and get hear so we will actually know who we will have playing next year. With Herron, Murray, and Mitchell plus the existing open Scholarship we now have 4 scholarships available that said most of the HS players are gone as are most of the quality Junior College players. We really need to pick up a couple of grad transfers ideally a PG and a big man. Wiley is the only one testing the waters that I think would have a chance of being drafted in the NBA this year. Logically we should expect all the others to return next year. But the more I watch what seems to be happening with kids and basketball logic doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.

If any others do more then test the waters and leave Auburn will go from looking like a really good mid to upper tier SEC team to a low tier SEC team.

[AU64 10,122]

31 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I want the combine to hurry up and get hear so we will actually know who we will have playing next year. With Herron, Murray, and Mitchell plus the existing open Scholarship we now have 4 scholarships available that said most of the HS players are gone as are most of the quality Junior College players. We really need to pick up a couple of grad transfers ideally a PG and a big man. Wiley is the only one testing the waters that I think would have a chance of being drafted in the NBA this year. Logically we should expect all the others to return next year. But the more I watch what seems to be happening with kids and basketball logic doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.

If any others do more then test the waters and leave Auburn will go from looking like a really good mid to upper tier SEC team to a low tier SEC team.

None of these guys are gonna be playing in the NBA......so forget that......but perhaps if they are just looking for a "grade" on their relative skills this might be a good way to get it. 

On the other hand, if they are eager to leave Auburn and their educational opportunities behind, there are lots of places in the world where they are probably good enough to play.   I'm guessing this combine could function as a "job interview" for some of those foreign teams who are likely to be scouting the players. . 

Guess it's "motive" that I am curious about when I think of the possible impact on AU's coming season.   

[alexava 6,973]

This is annoying. I don't think these players have anything to lose by throwing their name in the ring?

[bigbird 60,497]

6 minutes ago, alexava said:

This is annoying. I don't think these players have anything to lose by throwing their name in the ring?

They don't and will get valuable feedback on what skills they need to work on to have a chance. Free advice from pros...yeah, sign me up.

[AU64 10,122]

2 minutes ago, bigbird said:

They don't and will get valuable feedback on what skills they need to work on to have a chance. Free advice from pros...yeah, sign me up.

I'm thinking there must be more to it that just that or every college player in the country would be showing up at these things. 

[weathergeakal 283]

So when all of the rest of your teammates don't hire an agent it makes it even more puzzling why Mustapha hired one.

[AUDub 11,147]

7 minutes ago, weathergeakal said:

So when all of the rest of your teammates don't hire an agent it makes it even more puzzling why Mustapha hired one.

He's absolutely sure he wants to move on. Basketball is a global game now. Even if he doesn't make the NBA, there's money to be made. 

[autkidd2823 12]

Kenny Gabriel turned down a contract with the Cavs because he could make more overseas. 

[AUDub 11,147]

41 minutes ago, autkidd2823 said:

Kenny Gabriel turned down a contract with the Cavs because he could make more overseas. 

Can't blame him. Over there, he's an all star. 

[alexava 6,973]

Baseball players turn down mlb contracts to go to Japan sometimes. 

[TexasTiger 12,829]

WTH, I’m testing the NBA waters, too.

[aujeff11 6,243]

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

Purifoy might be rethinking his stance sooner or later

 

we're literally not gonna have a roster 

[boomstick 1,315]

8 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Purifoy might be rethinking his stance sooner or later

 

we're literally not gonna have a roster 

What’s happening to the roster?

[bigbird 60,497]

31 minutes ago, boomstick said:

What’s happening to the roster?

Nothing.  People are just melting away

[LKEEL75 2,566]

19 hours ago, bigbird said:

They don't and will get valuable feedback on what skills they need to work on to have a chance. Free advice from pros...yeah, sign me up.

Completely agree.  Wish they would do the same for those who leave early for NFL as well.  Let the kids test the waters and see what might happen per word from the actual pros.  Instead these kids are forced to listen to guesses and assumptions from "expert" analysts.

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

I would like to see colleges change let kids go into  the Draft combine and the Draft and after the Draft is over if they were not drafted or not drafted high enough as long as they don't get any money let them continue playing college ball. Same thing for football.

[LKEEL75 2,566]

Just now, AuburnNTexas said:

I would like to see colleges change let kids go into  the Draft combine and the Draft and after the Draft is over if they were not drafted or not drafted high enough as long as they don't get any money let them continue playing college ball. Same thing for football.

The only problem with that is the 'not drafted high enough' for who.  Some kid would be selected in 2nd round, not like the team and decide he might could go higher if he went back to school for a year.  Then what happens when he comes out next year?

I do like the idea that if they are not drafted at all then they should be allowed to return to school for another year.

[AU64 10,122]

20 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I would like to see colleges change let kids go into  the Draft combine and the Draft and after the Draft is over if they were not drafted or not drafted high enough as long as they don't get any money let them continue playing college ball. Same thing for football.

I'd hate to be a coach under a system like that...never know who you would have coming back and that much contact with agents (because you can't keep them away from things like a combine or draft) is just an open door to worse stuff than we are seeing now. JMO

 

Also....as noted someone in one of these threads......if a kid is not drafted in the first round his chances for NBA are about zero......but it does open the door to foreign basketball I guess. 

 

Edit Number Two:      this also seems to confirm that the primary purpose of college basketball is to prepare kids to play professional basketball......and I hope we have not reached that point where Auburn is just a sports trade school... 

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

14 minutes ago, AU64 said:

I'd hate to be a coach under a system like that...never know who you would have coming back and that much contact with agents (because you can't keep them away from things like a combine or draft) is just an open door to worse stuff than we are seeing now. JMO

 

Also....as noted someone in one of these threads......if a kid is not drafted in the first round his chances for NBA are about zero......but it does open the door to foreign basketball I guess. 

Coaches don't know now who is coming back. It is already to late to pick up HS players if you lose a player because currently you don't know until June whether the kid will come back. The only one we know for sure isn't coming back is Herron because he is signing with an Agent. With my suggestion Foreign is still possible I just want to give the kids another option returning to college. Same thing with Football put their name in the draft which occurs in the spring if don't get drafted or get drafted in a really low round give then the option of coming back for another year again as long as no money changes hands.

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

23 minutes ago, LKEEL75 said:

The only problem with that is the 'not drafted high enough' for who.  Some kid would be selected in 2nd round, not like the team and decide he might could go higher if he went back to school for a year.  Then what happens when he comes out next year?

I do like the idea that if they are not drafted at all then they should be allowed to return to school for another year.

It gives the kid the option of coming back and the coach gets the kid for one more year. By this time of the year the chances of finding an equal replacement are pretty low for the coach. Even if you get a Grad transfer with equal talent they have to learn a new system.