There is little doubt that Tyler Ennis is ready for the next level – at least by NBA executives. Most reputable mock drafts have Syracuse’s freshman point guard chosen in the first 15 picks.
But now that Syracuse has faced a tough stretch recently and walked away with unpleasant results, Ennis could have a few thoughts in his head.
- Stay and improve. He’s already one of, if not the, best college point guards in the country. If he declares, he would most likely be a lottery pick. But there is room to make more money if he stays. He could be a top-three pick in the 2015 NBA draft, which wouldn’t be nearly as top heavy as this summer’s edition with Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle among others.
- He’s a team leader. If Syracuse finishes short of its Final Four hops, Ennis can come back and give it another shot. If Ennis stays, the duo of he and Trevor Cooney could become the best backcourt in college basketball – that is, if Cooney can improve too.¬†Ennis must know that staying another year makes his game better, and will only be more ready for the NBA when he decides to declare.
- The recent slide. Every player, even Ennis, is responsible for the recent skid. Ennis can take this and learn how to avoid the pitfalls after such a hot start.
But how does Ennis pass up guaranteed money right now? He is most likely the best point guard in the country and would presumably have an NBA starting job in the fall. What does he want more: the money and the pros, or another year to improve his game at the college level and enjoy the experience.¬†Right now, Syracuse is just trying to begin the fight to go one round farther than last year’s team. Ennis will be one of the leaders in the hunt.
- Posted by: Austin Pollack
