A few hours after freshman guard Tyus Battle announced that he will come back to Syracuse next season, Orange center Tyler Lydon tweeted that he’ll forgo his two remaining years of collegiate eligibility and enter the NBA Draft.
#ForeverOrange pic.twitter.com/rMEfv4bLvQ
— Tyler Lydon (@Tyler_Lydon14) March 22, 2017
Draft Projection
Lydon is an expected late first round pick, according to the majority of mock draft sites. Both DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.net currently have Lydon going at 23 to the Orlando Magic.
Legacy
As a freshman at Syracuse, Lydon didn’t start a game, but was a major contributor to an SU team that made the Final Four. Syracuse was 16-4 when Lydon scored ten or more points in 2015-16.
Arguably the most memorable moment of Lydon’s career came last season in the Elite Eight against Virginia, when he made a three-point shot with only one shoe on.
No shoe, no problem. Tyler Lydon shoots his shot anyway #MarchMadness https://t.co/GNNL3vIjdF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 27, 2016
Syracuse trailed by 16 points in the second half of that game and came back to win 68-62 to advance to the Final Four.
This past season, Lydon started every contest. He averaged 13.2 points per game to go along with 8.6 rebounds per game. He was a 40% three-point shooter.
Lydon’s best game as a sophomore came in a 78-71 home defeat to Georgetown. SU’s big man made twelve of the 13 shots he took to score 29 points. He also grabbed nine rebounds, had two assists, a block and a steal.
Right Decision?
Obviously time will tell.
Here’s what Jim Boeheim had to say about the move Monday:
“I always think players should stay another year because I think it benefits them,‚Äù Boeheim said. ‚ÄúBut that’s his decision, his family’s decision and we’ll love him and respect him. He’s meant a lot to our basketball program and I think our basketball program helped who he was when he signed here. That’s what colleges do. They help guys get to where they want to go.”
If you’re a big man that can shoot, you’re going to get a shot in the NBA. Hopefully Lydon works out as a pro and has a successful career.
Posted: Connor Morrissette
