Kris Wilkes would return to UCLA to 'kill it' if not projected as 1st-round NBA draft pick

CHICAGO – If it doesn’t work out for Kris Wilkes this time, he intends to be back here at the NBA Draft Combine and is certain he’ll being turning pro one year from now.

“I see myself as a first-round talent. If the teams don’t think so, I’ll go back to school, I’ll kill it and there won’t be (any) option about it next year,” said Wilkes, 2017 IndyStar Mr. Basketball from North Central High School.

Thursday, Wilkes said he'd met with the Pacers, Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns among others.

Wilkes has spent one season at UCLA. He hasn’t hired an agent so he still can withdraw his name from the draft by May 30 to return to school.

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The annual combine here can be an arduous process where interviews with coaches, scouts and front offices can catch a 19-year-old such as Wilkes off-guard. They’ll do more talking in these 30-minute sitdowns that come one after the other.

“I honestly thought we would’ve done more stuff hooping-wise here,” Wilkes said with a laugh. “Not all these interviews and stuff. I was looking forward to play everybody. A lot of people aren’t playing.”

As many as 69 players were invited but some of them only partake in the interviews, which is typical among some high lottery talents who believe they can only hurt their value. Other players are recovering from injuries.

Teams try to weigh the upside of a player such as Wilkes, who is wiry at 6-7 with an unknown ceiling vs. better-known quantities such as senior guards Devonte Graham (Kansas) and Jevon Carter (West Virginia).

“I just know how to win. Play-making ability, pick-and-roll and I think I’m a little more mature than most, been in tough situations having to make game-winning plays,” Graham said. “I can play the 1 and the 2 because I can shoot it and I can also handle the ball.”

Jerome Robinson (Boston College), a 6-5 shooter who scored 46 points vs. Notre Dame this season, stayed for three years. He believes he's better-suited for the transition and some teams regard them as safer picks than someone such as Wilkes.

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“I definitely think it’s a lot of (better) defense, maturity and IQ. You’re watching so much film on guys,” Robinson said. “You’ve seen so much more games. You know the feel of games. You’ve got the college basketball aspect down pat.

“Nothing speeds you up once you get older. You understand the game. You know how to capitalize on certain situations you might’ve seen before that you might not have done your freshman or sophomore year."

They've all trusted the process to get to this point, and there's no reason to doubt themselves.