UCF freshman Taylor Hendricks declares for NBA draft, he tells ESPN
Taylor Hendricks becomes the first "one-and-done" NBA draft prospect in UCF men's basketball history.
HE GONE.....
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Good for Taylor Hendricks. You have to be happy for a kid that played his way into potentially becoming a lottery pick in less than a calendar year (beginning the year well off the 2023 NBA radar). His length, versatility, and shooting prowess is perfect for today’s game.
And good for UCF. While it obviously hurts losing Hendricks, allowing him to flourish while at UCF is a monumental feather in the program’s cap. Before Hendricks, it would be unheard of for a four or five-star NBA prospect to pick UCF because the school would provide them with a runway to launch their prospective professional career. But now, other highly touted prospects can see Hendricks successfully go one-and-done, so why can’t they as well? You’ve got to love it…
Best of luck Taylor!!
And good for UCF. While it obviously hurts losing Hendricks, allowing him to flourish while at UCF is a monumental feather in the program’s cap. Before Hendricks, it would be unheard of for a four or five-star NBA prospect to pick UCF because the school would provide them with a runway to launch their prospective professional career. But now, other highly touted prospects can see Hendricks successfully go one-and-done, so why can’t they as well? You’ve got to love it…
Best of luck Taylor!!
Doesn't hurt, but having Hendricks not play in NCAA tournament and make a run or even in the conference really diminishes the value of his time here. There is not a whole lot that will be brought up about his time at UCF if he goes on to become a star in the NBA, maybe some individual stats, but not anything as a team.
Diminishes the value of his time here? According to who, fans that wanted UCF to be more successful? Sure.
I think you may have missed my point. If the goal of all top-tier/elite prospects is to make the NBA and get paid, which Hendricks accomplished well ahead of schedule, then I would argue he maximized his time here. Believe me, that goes a much longer way in HS/AAU/EYBL, etc circles than winning one or two more games.
I respect your opinion however, and I really dig the conversation.
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The best players go to schools that usually make tourney and win a few games. Next years class is already signed and it isn’t highly rated. Will be 2 seasons before we see if anyone comes here because of that. JD had Tacko play in NBA and no one good came because of that. He has to start winning. That’s what gets recruits. That and money.
Oh buddy, if you think even mentioning Tacko Fall in this situation as anything comparable is the way to go.
My point is that (finally) having a one-and-done lottery prospect from UCF is nothing but positive for the program. Makes the program more marketable, gives coaches something concrete to sell to high-level recruits. That has nothing to do with Tacko Fall, who stayed for four years, went undrafted, and played the complete opposite style of basketball that the modern league has become.
And of course the ‘23 class isn’t going to be influenced by Hendricks thriving, those kids were committed beforehand (obviously). I meant classes down the road.
A five-star recruit doesn’t give a hoot about winning tournament games, four of the top-10 in this draft class didn’t even go to college. They care about the best situation where they can get to the NBA as soon as possible. Of course, many of those situations (history of college team success, NBA pipeline) tend to be the same programs both ways regardless (Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, etc.). But now, UCF can be added to that list. Which is a good thing…
How did Ja Morant help his school? He didn’t. You have to win to keep getting good players. That’s the end of the story. JD will be gone before he gets another top 100 player from high school.
Ja Morant wasn’t a one-and-done prospect, he played two years at Murray State. Nothing to do with this.
I don’t mind talking basketball with someone who shares a different opinion, but you don’t seem to be even remotely staying on point. Elite four and five-star prospects who have aspirations to go to the NBA after one year would have never before considered UCF because they’ve never had a one-and-done prospect in the history of the program. Now UCF has one, which is a start. A legit NBA prospect can now at least consider UCF because Hendricks found a way to get to the league (and possibly even the lottery) in a year there, why not me?
I’m not saying UCF will automatically start pulling in top-25 recruiting classes for the rest of time. I’m just saying they actually have one more marketable thing to sell to elite players than they did yesterday (when they had nothing to sell).
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Aside from our performance this season even with Hendricks, I'll be just proud to root for and watch a UCF player solidified in the NBA for many years to come. It really has never been done here before.
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Is Dawkins still here? End of discussion I could care if UCF win another BB game. I have better things tdo dfo!
I thought he may want to play with his brother next year. Oh well. Wish him luck.
I thought it weird his brother redshirted. I guess we get to see him next year and I hope he is just as good.
I thought it weird his brother redshirted. I guess we get to see him next year and I hope he is just as good.
All that matters is he lead us into the only postseason that really matters…The NIT and we even beat Gainesville U in the first round!!! Awesome he can now be a part of The Kingdom!!! Works for me!!! Charge On Taylor!!!
Name some schools that your scenario played out. I can’t think of any. I can name a bunch in my scenario.
My intuition is that, we enter the big 12 with Johnny. Within 2 years he'll be on the hot seat. After 3 years they fire him unless he can win and recruit (in the toughest NCAA basketball league).
Remember: Dawkins went to the Big Dance (and almost the sweet 16) with Donnie Jones' recruits, except for Aubrey.
Let me get everyone's opinion here. An old time UCF follower from 1985 told me that he thinks our basketball facilities will limit us in recruiting. I never really thought about it.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
I think there are upgrade’s happening soon.
"Choosing the right school played a big part" Just a comment on the crap of BB. "Hey, I got what I wanted from the school, F*** them! It's all about MEEEEEEEE!" Sorry boobs, but if he really cared, and was actually good, he could give another year, it's just 1 year, to the school that helped him. BB sucks as a sport, and sucks in many other ways. I don't know the actual stats, but I'm guessing an average NFL RB has fewer years than a BB player.
PS average NBA player career 4.5 years, average NFL career 3 years. Someone might want to tell these players, 'Get a degree, you'll probably/definitely need a career after you blow all your $$$ buying gold statues of angel butts. etc.
PS average NBA player career 4.5 years, average NFL career 3 years. Someone might want to tell these players, 'Get a degree, you'll probably/definitely need a career after you blow all your $$$ buying gold statues of angel butts. etc.
The minimum 2022 NBA first round draft pick was $4.5 million guarenteed. With option up to $11.5, if they play 4 years.
So in his position you would pass on that money and stay in school because you are committed.
Also he is projected to be in a spot that would net him $6-7 million guarenteed. The equivalent of making $150k salary for 40 years, but paid up front.
I don’t think he’s ready but you can’t pass up the money. I have a feeling he will be in G League for the first couple years.
Okay old man yelling at clouds, someone help grandpa back to bed.
That was all pretty nonsensical, good grief.
Dead serious. He was invisible during games a lot. Do you watch other teams and NBA? I haven’t seen anything that says he will be a star in NBA. Role player to me and he needs to add weight.
You’ve literally already changed what you said. No one said anything about a star. Even if he’s a role player (your words) at worst in the NBA, that’s a top-200 player in the world. Not too shabby at all.
But you said he would be in the G-League his first couple of years. That’s what I was talking about with my “you can’t be serious” response. Big difference between NBA role player and G-League. You know that.
Google 1st round picks that play G Leage first couple years. Quite a few do. It’s either sit on bench and play 3 minutes a game or get better in G League. Especially if he’s picked after 16 where the teams are Playoff or borderline playoff. Once he fills out and gets experience, around 21 years old, he could get PT. Not much before that.
Sounds awesome! Where can I get me one of those?
I’d like to put it next to my gold replica O’Leary statue. It would really tie the whole room together.
I agree. He's no wheres near ready but like you said, he'll go to the G-League for a few years.
He will be, he was completely invisible when it came down to it. The Knights will still be terrible without him like they were with him.
Some of you guys sound like you really know ball. “Completely invisible”. Why, because you look at the box score and Hendricks didn’t score as many points as you thought he should? There are many ways to make an impact on a game if you actually watch film and know what you’re looking at.
Defensive versatility, length, a floor-spacer with range advanced for his age. He’s literally everything NBA scouts look for in a modern prospect. Two-way ability to affect the game, switch on defense, help-side defensive prowess, pick-and-pop game.
I cover an NBA team, I work in NBA arenas regularly. This kid is a pro. And what’s sad is, the thread started out simply that Hendricks getting drafted is a positive for the program, and now a couple keyboard warriors are trying to spin that he’s not NBA ready? Lol (not remotely true, and not even what this was originally about).
It started saying he declared. It was already known it was a possibility. Already discussed in multiple threads it COULD be a plus. He was invisible because we watched the games and he wasn’t making plays in either end for 8 minutes at a time. Get a more reputable source than Brian NBA. Combine hasn’t happened yet so any mock draft won’t be accurate.
I have no idea who Brian NBA is and I couldn’t care less. I was using his tweet/data to show how unique it is to have a prospect at 19 y/o with Hendricks combination of shooting prowess, defensive awareness, and athletic ability.
Not sure why you mention the combine. Lottery picks don’t play at the combine, some don’t even attend (other just attend for measurements). I trust the two NBA scouts I know personally, Hendricks has been on the radar since December.
For what it’s worth, Sam Vecenie from the Athletic has Hendricks ranked 12th on his latest big board, Jonathan Givony of ESPN ranks Hendricks 12th on his board, and Kevin O’Connor (The Ringer) has him 10th on his board. Those are the three national draft analysts I trust the most.
I’m kind of done here with the back and forth. A UCF player will be drafted in the first round in June, quite possibly in the lottery. It will be a great selling point for the program, and I don’t really understand what you keep trying to push back on about it!?
It’s a message board where people give opinions. Welcome to the internet.
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BNGAD hits the nail on the head again!
He is ready defensively, but not on offense. His couple of months here will have no impact on the program in the future.
In today’s NBA where the best prospects are drafted after one year of college, they are rarely players who were consistently great every night. They haven’t even learned how to be that yet. They’re one year out of high school.
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