In the 2020-21 season, Brandon Boston Jr., the first-year guard of Kentucky, is seen as the superstar of the team who can not miss, one that is likely to end the season that will lead the team on a deep NCAA tournament on the way to a top five draft picks.
Unfortunately for both Boston and the Wildcats, the five-star prospect’s first-year campaign did not live up to the preseason hype, averaging just 12.0 points on 36.0% shooting and 30.3% from three runs with 4, 5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He had his moments – 21 points against South Carolina, 17 points against Auburn, 17 points against Arkansas, 18 points against LSU, 18 points against Georgia, 20 points against Richmond, 15 points against Morehead State – but Boston had continuous shootouts. led to the former potential top-five draft stock falling well outside the lottery, with some outlets dropping him even after the second round of their latest mockery.
Although the struggles and inconsistencies were taken into account, most accepted that Boston’s original plan to be one-and-a-half was still the certainty that it had earlier led to his time in Lexington, up to Kentucky’s outstanding victory over South Carolina in the regular season. finale. Following what according to Boston was the last home game at Rupp Arena as a Wildcat – and it was also a good one, with 21 points at 7-13 and 6-10 from three with four rebounds, three assistants and one steal John Calipari has made headlines by hinting that the former five-star outlook could possibly be on a two-year plan.
Asked about Boston’s struggles and the turnaround in the late season, the British head coach compares his situation to Immanuel Quickley and PJ Washington, players who have decided to return for a second season to prove they are capable. to get better.
“He has never lost the battle. This stuff was hard for him. And it is also striking to know physically as an individual player, man, that is – I am not where I need to be physically, “said Calipari. ‘We had other guys, it’s like Immanuel Quickley. Immanuel Quickley walked into my office and said, “Coach, I know you said it would be difficult.” This is after his freshman year. ‘It’s a lot harder than I thought and I did not have a good year. But I come back and you look. No one will outwit me. ‘ These are the guys who need to come back. That mentality. PJ Washington. That mentality. I’m not coming back to do show time. I’m not coming back to say, ‘Hey, this is my team.’ I’m coming back because I’m going to get better and can accept that I did not play like I should have played. And it’s a lot harder than I thought. ‘
He took it a step further by confirming that he would encourage his players to test the NBA draft water, but may not like what they hear from scouts. And if the feedback is not good, they can ‘not wander’ about where they are as players.
‘I like it when kids go through the process because the teams are not going to lie to them. They are going to tell them the truth. It is good to go through the process, ”he said. ‘Whether it’s one of these guys. You can not be misleading, because if you are, it will catch you. You have to be real and you can not blame anyone for your actions. You own it. And then you say, here’s what I can do and how I can get better. ‘
At first glance, the idea of a player of Boston’s caliber and previous status as a top-ten prospect and potential top-five recruiter returning for a second season is hard to imagine, especially in Kentucky. Over the course of Calipari’s twelve years in Lexington, UK, these types of players have never been brought back, so why would that change now?
To begin with, the difference in money can be significant, and that may be all Boston needs to hear when it’s time for him to make a final decision.
If we look back at the 2020 NBA draft class and the rookie scale for each of the top 10 picks – where Boston is expected to be taken after the season in 2021 – first-year salaries were more than $ 4.24 million and four-year salaries braided with or significantly at the top of the $ 20 million range.
- Nr. 1- $ 9.75 million first-year salary, $ 44.27 million four-year salary
- Number 2: $ 8.73 million first-year salary, $ 39.62 million four-year salary
- Number 3 – $ 7.84 million first-year salary, $ 35.59 million four-year salary
- Number 4: $ 7.07 million first-year salary, $ 32.10 million four-year salary
- Number 5 – $ 6.40 million first-year salary, $ 29.08 million four-year salary
- Number 6 – $ 5.81 million first-year salary, $ 26.42 million four-year salary
- Nr. 7 – first-year salary of $ 5.31 million, four-year salary of $ 24.13 million
- Number 8: $ 4.86 million first-year salary, $ 22.12 million four-year salary
- Number 9: $ 4.47 million first-year salary, $ 20.34 million four-year salary
- Number 10: $ 4.24 million first-year salary, $ 19.33 million four-year salary
If we compare the dollar figures with the place where Boston is currently ranked on the various prominent concepts, the difference is huge.
- NBC Sports – no. 16 – $ 3.12 million first-year salary, $ 15.09 million four-year salary
- NBADraft.net – no. 21 – $ 2.48 million first-year salary, $ 12.15 million four-year salary
- Hoopshype – no. 21 – first-year salary of $ 2.48 million, four-year salary of $ 12.15 million
- ESPN – No. 26 – $ 2.04 million first-year salary, $ 10.45 million four-year salary
- CBS Sports – no. 27 – first-year salary of $ 1.97 million, four-year salary of $ 10.15 million
- The Athletic – no. 33 – $ 898,310 first-year salary, $ 2.4 million two-year salary
- Tankathon – no. 36 – $ 449 115 one-year salary (two-way contract)
If the difference is, for example, the no. 16 pick in 2021 and the number 10 pick in 2022, the risk of injury and taking a hit may not be worth the million-a-year difference over the course of four seasons. the league. If he slipped into the twenties, we’re now talking about a difference of about $ 20 million from the top five draft picks he was expected to make in Kentucky.
Guaranteed money is important, but there is a clear difference between the life-changing money chosen late in the first round and the generational money associated with the top-five picks. And because the 2022 NBA concept will be exponentially weaker than the 2021 class, it is certainly not beyond the ability to return to the top five status with efficient shooting, improved strength, and continued growth as a defender in 2021- 22.
If Boston returns to school and, for example, shoots an average of 18 points at 45% and 35% from three times with 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, he is back on track. And that’s a difference of 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.6 steals per game more than he is now averaging, along with increasing his field goal percentage by 9% and the 3- point-to-goal percentage with just under 5%. All feasible leaps, and with undeniable confidence in Boston – he once said he wanted to be the greatest basketball player of all time – one would think he would not be afraid to bet on himself.
Aside from the numbers and money – and this is certainly the most important part of it – Boston does not succeed in Kentucky experience for which he signed up when he committed to the program in July 2019. He did not get the penetrating cheers of the sold-out Rupp Arena crowd, the warm welcome that comes with Big Blue Madness, the typical spotlight and fanfare. which is accompanied by events such as the Champions Classic and CBS Sports Classic, hostile road environments, and full SEC and NCAA tournament crowds. From the floor, he could not talk to If Something, his experience in Sierra Canyon as a senior who played with Ziaire Williams, Bronny James and Zaire Wade in sold-out arenas, with celebrities sitting in court every time he play. more ‘Kentucky’ than Kentucky has been this season. It is where he thrived for the first time and strengthened his pulling stock, did not listen to the sounds of dribbling, squeaks and coach screams echoed through empty spaces.
Improving its stats and increasing draft inventory may go hand in hand, but things will return to normal in the 2021-22 season.
Is it a foregone conclusion that Boston is rejecting the pro route in favor of returning to Kentucky for another season? Goodness no. If Calipari had not opened the door to the possibility this past weekend, I’m not sure if anyone would have discussed it as a legal possibility right now.
But Cal opened the door, and it’s definitely something worth investigating.