CHICAGO — The next two weeks could be one of the most important periods in Jackson Robinson's life, and the decisions he makes in at least the next 13 days will change his future.
“Right now I'm focused on this (combine). Obviously, the reason I entered the portal was to consider my options. This year, whether I'm in the NBA or not, I want to put myself in the best position.” I think it was something I had to do in order to get there.”
— BYU guard Jackson Robinson
The big choice is obvious. He can either remain in the NBA draft pool and hope to hear his name called on June 26 or 27, or withdraw from the draft by May 29 to preserve his final year of college eligibility.
In the latter case, you will have to make additional choices. Robinson could return to BYU under new head coach Kevin Young or leave to follow former head coach Mark Pope to Kentucky, leaving the recruiting field wide open. You can do it too.
No one believes that any school other than Kentucky and BYU has a chance of acquiring Robinson, but there seems to be a consensus on what will happen if Robinson chooses to return to the college ranks.
People familiar with the situation told the Deseret News that Robinson fully expects to play at Kentucky next season if he decides to withdraw from the draft.
That possibility first appeared when Robinson entered the transfer portal shortly after Young was hired to replace Pope. Despite Young's NBA connections and success at the professional level, officials said it's unlikely Robinson would consider returning to BYU if he had the option to play at Pope.
At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this week, Robinson told the Deseret News that he will take all the information and feedback from the combine and pre-draft workouts to make the most informed decisions possible once the draft is complete. He said he would like to be able to lower the The time will come. He said he has trained with several teams, but he did not reveal which teams he has trained with or interviewed with.
“Right now I'm focused on this (combine),” Robinson said. “Obviously the reason I went into the portal was to consider my options. I knew it was something I had to do to put myself in the best position this year, whether I'm in the NBA or not. think.”
Pope and Young appeared at the NBA Combine this week, and while Robinson and Young have spoken briefly since Young was named BYU's head coach last month, Robinson said he is in regular contact with Pope. Told.
That's not surprising considering how close Robinson and Pope have become during Robinson's two years at BYU. The 21-year-old calls Pope a mentor and announced this week that Pope and former BYU assistant Cody Fueger (who left BYU to join Pope's staff in Lexington) were in charge of preparing for the pre-draft process. He pointed out that there was.
“It was very helpful,” he said. “Coming here to the combine, some of the plays that we executed today, I actually knew because I was at BYU. Coach Pope and Coach Fugar taught us those plays, but it was all me. It was similar to what they ran. It's really helpful to know that I have some knowledge going from college to the NBA.”
Robinson played well in a scrimmage at the combine, but many scouts and executives seem to think Robinson could benefit from another year in college.
“He didn't do poorly here at the combine,” one scout said. “He doesn't seem ready for the next step yet.”
In January, Robinson was expected to be an early second-round pick, but as the year progressed, Robinson's Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year campaign led to him being drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. Some believed it could sneak into the bottom.
But more recently, Robinson has been supplanted in the draft rankings as other players' draft stocks have risen. This week, numerous sources said they believe he could be a late second-round pick or go undrafted. Robinson was ranked No. 52 on ESPN's latest “Best Available” draft list. A total of 58 players will be selected in the 2024 NBA Draft.
None of this makes Robinson's decision any easier. In a draft where many believe both the top and bottom are weak, it may be easier for Robinson to be squeezed in and taken, even if it's late in the second round.
Next year's draft class is expected to be more competitive, and Robinson's performance could worsen even more as a result of the competition. That being said, if Robinson continues to grow and improve for another year in college, his draft stock could rise and he could earn an even higher spot in a more competitive draft.
“It's better to stand out in the crowd than be lost in the crowd,” a Western Conference executive said. “I feel like he's going to get lost in the crowd this year. But if he tries really hard, he might stand out next year.”
