Zach Osterman

zach.osterman@indystar.com

Players who didn't hire an agent have until May 24 to withdraw from draft

BLOOMINGTON – The only downside to IU basketball coach Archie Miller’s success in re-recruiting the Hoosiers’ 2017 class is the scholarship logjam it creates.

Indiana currently has 15 players signed or returning to the program — and just 13 scholarships to give next fall.

That adds an extra layer of importance to the NBA decisions of several Hoosiers currently declared for this summer’s draft. While OG Anunoby has declared and hired an agent, ending his time at IU, Thomas Bryant, James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson are all going through the pre-draft process this spring without signing, meaning they can return.

But where do all four stand professionally?

Anunoby’s decision to leave, given that his stock is highest and he’s coming off a major knee injury, makes sense, according to NBA scouts interviewed for this story.

“More or less, he got enough out of college,” said one league scout. “He kind of came in as this unknown guy, blew up in the (2016 NCAA tournament) and that kind of carried over. You’ve got to leave while you’re hot.”

Athletic and explosive at 6-8, Anunoby’s appeal lies in his ability to rebound and defend multiple positions. Despite his 3-point shooting percentage dipping noticeably from his freshman to his sophomore seasons, he is also considered a potentially efficient offensive player, skilled at finishing around the rim and accurate enough to stretch defenses from behind the arc.

Even the injury hasn’t weighed down his stock very much. DraftExpress’ latest mock projection, updated last week, slots Anunoby No. 15 overall to Portland.

“Even with the knee injury, I doubt he slips outside the first round,” another scout told IndyStar.

Bryant’s is a tougher forecast to pin down.

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He was considered a potential first-round pick before this season, and some aspects of his sophomore year — including improved 3-point accuracy — reinforced Bryant’s higher-than-normal skill level for a player his size.

On the other hand, his finishing around the rim took a sharp downturn, from 70.7 percent on two-pointers as a freshman to 55.6 percent as a sophomore. And there remain concerns about Bryant’s defense.

“He had a good freshman season. Naturally, guys come back better the next year. A big jump was expected,” one scout said. “It didn’t happen.”

“He just doesn’t have that one thing about him that you write home about,” another said. “For him, I don’t think he has that niche just yet. He’s not a great rebounder, shot blocker, rim protector, not a great scorer in any way, struggles with his back to the basket.”

That’s not to say Bryant’s stock has dried up. That same DraftExpress projection slotted him No. 41 overall to Charlotte, and multiple scouts who spoke to IndyStar for this story said they still firmly expect him to get drafted if he stays in.

“I’m not sure what his ceiling is,” one said, “but I think he’s definitely a second-rounder.”

This will be Blackmon’s second tour through the pre-draft process, having declared without signing with an agent last season as well.

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An elite scorer in college, questions persist around Blackmon’s defensive ability at the next level, and about his size for a true shooting guard. His DraftExpress profile lists him at 6-3, and that projection doesn’t see Blackmon getting drafted.

“I think he’s probably a second-round to fringe-type of guy right now,” one scout said. “Everyone knows he can score the ball and he shoots it with the best of them. At that size, he’s got to be able to get his point guard and distributing capabilities up to par.”

Another was less bullish.

“I think he’s even more so than Thomas (Bryant) a guy that NBA scouts have pretty much pigeon-holed as a one-trick pony, rightly or wrongly,” the scout said. “He’s a shooter, but he’s an undersized shooter.”

Johnson would appear the most likely to return at this point.

Rated the No. 30 prospect in the Big Ten and No. 47 overall among juniors by DraftExpress, he seems ideally suited to gathering as much feedback as he can and taking it back into the gym with him for a senior season in college.

“I think he’s a guy that’s definitely kind of off the radar," one scout said.

That doesn’t mean Johnson is without professional appeal, though.

“He’s really interesting to me,” another told IndyStar. “I think he’ll get workouts where then you go back and figure out what that niche is, and what’s it gonna be. He does a little of everything, but I don’t think he does one thing extremely well.

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“I don’t think he’s someone who would get drafted or should come out. But I think this is ideal for someone like him.”

This year, the deadline for early draft entrants who have not signed with an agent to withdraw their name and return to college is May 24, 10 days after the end of the NBA combine.

If more than one of the group to not hire an agent (Blackmon, Bryant and Johnson) decide to come back to Bloomington, then some roster trimming will be necessary. But that's a conversation for another day.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.