Marquette’s Henry Ellenson was freshman of the year in the Big East. Credit: Calvin Mattheis for the Journal Sentinel

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When Henry Ellenson signed his letter of intent to play basketball at Marquette, the general expectation was his time on campus wouldn't last long. As one of the top incoming freshmen in the country in an era when one-and-done players are part of the fabric of college basketball, Ellenson staying longer than a season was always in question.

After rewriting Marquette's freshman record book by finishing with 17.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, winning Big East freshman of the year, and getting multiple freshman all-America nods and many more accolades, Ellenson has a big decision to make about his future.

He's projected as a surefire first-round pick in the NBA draft in June — meaning his rookie contract would be guaranteed for the first two seasons with team options for years three and four. Those team options are usually exercised since they come at such a low price relative to the salary cap.

While it's still early, most draft projections have Ellenson as a lottery pick, with many putting him in the top 10. Based on the 2015-'16 rookie pay scale, a pick inside the top 10 would earn at least $9 million over four years.

Scouts, who turned out in droves at Marquette games and practices this season, like Ellenson's ball-handling ability, especially for a player his size. While his 28.8% shooting on three-pointers left something to be desired, they liked his mechanics and ability to shoot confidently all over the floor. His 74.9% mark from the free-throw line is something they also liked, as it helps project that he'll be able to mature into a solid shooter at the pro level.

As with any player, scouts found holes in Ellenson's game outside of his issues shooting three-pointers. He has the natural size — 6 feet 11 inches with a 7-foot-2 wingspan — that many NBA teams covet, but some scouts question how he will be able to keep up with the higher level of play in the NBA.

"I like him OK," one scout told the Journal Sentinel. "I think he's going to be a good shooter in the NBA. The lack of athleticism scares me a little bit. He doesn't have good lateral quickness. I don't think he's the toughest guy. He's definitely going to be an NBA player and in the right situation I think he'll succeed."

Ellenson, his family and the Marquette coaching staff were insistently focused on the present during basketball season. Any questions about the NBA or the future were politely pushed off for a later date. Now that the season has ended, all parties involved have remained quiet as Ellenson ponders what's next.

The wait for a final decision could be longer this year due to a recent rule change. Under NCAA rules in years past, underclassmen who declared for the NBA draft relinquished their remaining eligibility if they did not change their minds by the end of April. This cutoff was before the NBA's withdrawal date as well as before the NBA Draft Combine.

This year, the NCAA has changed its stance. Based on a new set of rules passed in January, underclassmen, as long as they do not hire an agent, have until 10 days after the combine to change their minds and return to school.

The NBA's deadline for declaring is April 24, and starting this year underclassmen who declare by that date will be able to attend the combine May 11-15 and participate in one tryout with a team before making their final decision. Underclassmen also can enter the NBA draft in multiple years without jeopardizing their eligibility as long as they withdraw within the stated time frame and do not hire an agent.

At the combine, teams can talk with as many as 18 players, which gives players a good opportunity to gauge interest and assess where they might go in the draft. In a wide-open draft like this one, that opportunity could be valuable for numerous players deciding whether to make the leap or stay in school.

Ellenson will have a few variables to consider, some of them unique to his situation. At Marquette, the Rice Lake native gets to play in his home state with his brother Wally, who will be a senior next season. He is incredibly close with his family, which could influence him toward staying in school another year.

He also will need to consider his future draft prospects. On one hand, Ellenson could benefit from continued growth by Marquette's young guards, which could set him up for a monster year that would improve his draft stock.

On the other hand, next year's crop of incoming freshmen is regarded as possibly one of the best to join the collegiate ranks in the past few years. The NBA prizes youth and upside, which could set up those players to leapfrog a 20-year-old Ellenson if he fails to make a big jump in his sophomore year.

Of course, there's always the risk of injury. Suffering an injury after getting drafted would mean healing under a guaranteed, multi-year contract. Doing so during a second year in college could damage any player's prospects of getting drafted at all depending on the severity of the injury.

With the season concluded for most teams, multiple players already have declared for the NBA draft. Some are taking advantage of the new rule while others have dived in with both feet by signing agents.

For the moment, Ellenson's decision — stay, go with the option of coming back or go all in by signing with an agent — remains known only to him.