Mark2010 said:
As for players like Sullinger who's draft stock may have slipped, well why not come back for another year in college and try to improve that status? It's like selling stock when its value has dropped. If you believe it can bounce back, wait a little while. The draft is always going to be there next year.
Umm, because it doesn't actually work that way. The whole notion of "staying in school to improve your draft stock" has been proven to be a complete farce in recent years--with the kids who try it seeing their stock drop with the extra year more often than rise.
Contrary to myth, pro scouts aren't looking for older more experienced players who've been through the wars. Instead, they're enamored by the younger bouncy bodies who've never yet been injured nor had their weaknesses exposed yet. Simply being a year older detracts from a player's draft stock, because scouts interpret an older player as having less "upside" potential for improvement. And if you stay until a year older without sufficiently improving, that can have a disastrous effect on a kid's stock. And if you stay until a year older and also get injured? Well, **** ...you just screwed yourself, kid.
Telling Sullinger to stay a third year is the dumbest advice you could give him.
