Michigan center Mitch McGary declared for the NBA Draft, in part because he was suspended for the next year from playing college basketball for failing a drug test in March.

That the NCAA would suspend a player for a year for initially testing positive for smoking marijuana is a debate for another day (suffice to say, for many fans, it re-affirms that the NCAA’s control over athletes is somewhere between draconian and hysterical).

But we have to talk about this:

btw: your friendly reminder that whoever told mcgary to come back to school gave him awful advice. — Bomani Jones (@bomani_jones) April 25, 2014

If McGary’s personal and professional goal was to have an NBA career, it’s clear now — as it was earlier this season when his back became an issue… as it was the moment after the deadline to enter the 2013 NBA Draft passed and he wasn’t on the list — that he made a huge mistake.

Let’s start with the money. Because you can’t pay your mortgage with a Sweet 16 appearance and a patronizing pat on the head.

By most expert accounts, in the 2013 NBA Draft, McGary would have been selected somewhere between the Top 5 and the top half. (I am a huge Wizards fan and was thrilled about the idea they would use their top 5-ish pick on him.)

Based on the rookie scale available at RealGM.com, a No. 5 pick for the 2013-14 season will make roughly $18 million over the first five years of their NBA career, assuming the team picks up options in the 4th and 5th year.

If he slipped halfway into the first round — let’s say No. 15, just outside the “Lottery” — his salary would have been roughly $10M over 5 years.

Not bad!

A year later, McGarry is projected as the No. 30 pick by DraftExpress.com — the last pick of the first round.

Based on RealGM numbers, the No. 30 pick makes roughly $7 million over 5 years.

If his balky back raised concerns, he might slip into the 2nd round, where there is no guaranteed money, period.

But let’s be fair — in a draft devoid of bigs, McGary’s bulk and talent should get him into the late 1st round. (Let’s be clear: The marijuana issue won’t hurt his NBA prospects — there is a reason the NBA’s marijuana policy is… relaxed.)

The larger point is this: The difference between his top-end potential if he came out a year ago and his realistic projection now is roughly $11 million.

And that doesn’t include the concept that he starts his “clock” before a potentially larger free-agent payday a year earlier. Or a year of additional income he could generate from marketing deals. Or the very basic (but important!) concept of compounded interest on making millions a year ago versus starting now.

Even the staunchest “stay-in-school” supporter would be hard-pressed to come up with a “value” of staying in school — for any player, not just McGary — that outweighs an opportunity cost of $11 million.

(Even if he went in the middle of the first round, the delta is still $3 million dollars — again, beyond any reasonable projection of “psychic rewards” that come with staying in school or even the idea that further college training would improve his draft stock into the Top 5, given the very real potential of career-stunting injury, which is precisely what happened to McGary.)

Here is the takeaway:

If you are projected to be a high draft pick, you should exit college basketball for the NBA as quickly as the system will allow.

If you are a top NBA prospect and your goal is an NBA career — which presumes your interest in the vast financial compensation that goes along with that — there is no substitute for being in the NBA.

Not the “life” of college. Not going to the NCAA Tournament. Not talent “development” — to the extent that you believe a college coaching staff is better at NBA player development than an NBA coaching staff.

In the NBA this past season, McGary would have gotten NBA coaching — with an incentive to develop McGary’s NBA potential, not to win college games. He would have gotten acclimated to the NBA life — not another year of the decidedly unprofessional life of a college student.

And he would have gotten paid — so much money that it is absurd (and disingenuous!) to even offer a college comparison.

So here’s to Mitch McGary having a long, lucrative NBA career — the one he was entitled to a year ago.