Entering the 2020-21 season, Kentucky freshman goalie Brandon Boston Jr. was seen as the team’s safe superstar, who could end the season leading the team in a deep NCAA tournament on the way to a top-five. project selection.
Unfortunately, for both Boston and the Wildcats, the prospect’s five-year campaign didn’t live up to the pre-season hype, averaging just 12.0 points on 36.0% shooting and 30.3 % from three with 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals per contest. He had his moments – 21 points vs. South Carolina, 17 points vs. Auburn, 17 points vs. Arkansas, 18 points vs. LSU, 18 points in Georgia, 20 points vs. Richmond, 15 points vs. Morehead State – but Boston’s consistent fighting struggles have led to the stock of the former potential top-five of the project selection falling well out of the lottery, with a few outlets even throwing it into the second round of the latest sketches simulate.
Even considering the struggles and inconsistencies, most assumed that Boston’s original plan to be one was still the certainty it once carried to its time in Lexington, to Kentucky’s explosive victory over South Carolina in the regular season. final. After what many thought was Boston’s last home game at the Rupp Arena as Wildcat – and it was a good one, finishing with 21 points on 7-13 shots and 6-10 of three to go with four rebounds, three assists decisive and a theft – John Calipari turned his head suggesting that the former five-star prospect could actually be on a two-year plan.
When asked about the struggles in Boston and the changes at the end of the season, the head coach of Great Britain compared his situation with Immanuel Quickley and PJ Washington, players who decided to return for a second season looking to prove that they are capable of improve.
“He never lost the fight. These things were hard for him. And it’s also eye-opening to know that as an individual player, human, physical, that’s it – I’m not where I need to be physically, “said Calipari. “I had other boys, it’s like Immanuel Quickley. Immanuel Quickley came into my office and said, “Coach, I know you said it would be hard.” This is after his first year. “It’s much harder than I thought and I didn’t have a good year. But I turn around and look. No one will overtake me. These are the guys who should come back. This mentality. PJ Washington. This mentality. I’m not going back to showtime. I don’t go back and say, “Hey, this is my team.” I’m coming back because I’m going to get better and I can accept that I didn’t play the way I should have. And this is much harder than I thought. ”
He took it a step further by confirming that he will encourage his players to test the waters of the NBA Draft, but they may not like what they hear from scouts. And if the feedback isn’t good, they “can’t be delusional” about where they stand as players.
“I like when children go through this process, because the teams will not lie to them. He will tell them the truth. The process is good, “he said. “Either he’s one of these guys. You can’t be delusional because if you are, it will catch you. You have to be real and you can’t blame anyone for your performance. It belongs to you. And then you say, here’s what I can do and how I can improve. “
On the surface, it’s hard to imagine the idea of a player of caliber and Boston’s previous status as a potential top ten and potential top five recruits returning for a sophomore season, especially in Kentucky. During Calipari’s 12 years in Lexington, the UK simply never brought these types of players back, so why would they change now?
For starters, the difference in money could be substantial, which could be all Boston needs to hear when it comes time for him to make a final decision.
Looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft class and the rookie ladder for each of the top 10 picks – where Boston was expected to be taken in 2021 by the season – all first-year salaries were over $ 4.24 million, and over four years, salaries have flirted or substantially exceeded the $ 20 million range.
- Nr. 1 – $ 9.75 million salary for the first year, $ 44.27 million salary for four years
- Choice no. 2 – first year salary of 8.73 million dollars, four year salary of 39.62 million dollars
- Choice no. 3 – salary for the first year of 7.84 million dollars, four-year salary for 35.59 million dollars
- Nr. 4 pick – $ 7.07 million first-year salary, $ 32.10 million four-year salary
- No. 5 pick – $ 6.40 million first-year salary, $ 29.08 million four-year salary
- Nr. 6 pick – $ 5.81 million first-year salary, $ 26.42 million four-year salary
- Choice no. 7 – $ 5.31 million first-year salary, $ 24.13 million four-year salary
- Choice no. 8 – $ 4.86 million first year salary, $ 22.12 million four year salary
- Choice no. 9 – first year salary of 4.47 million dollars, four year salary for 20.34 million dollars
- Choice no. 10 – $ 4.24 million first year salary, $ 19.33 million four year salary
Comparing these dollar figures with where Boston is currently ranked on the various prominent simulated projects, the difference is substantial.
- NBC Sports – no. 16 – first year salary of 3.12 million dollars, four year salary of 15.09 million dollars
- NBADraft.net – Nr. 21 – $ 2.48 million first year salary, $ 12.15 million four year salary
- Hoopshype – no. 21 – $ 2.48 million first year salary, $ 12.15 million four year salary
- ESPN – no. 26 – first year salary of 2.04 million dollars, four year salary of 10.45 million dollars
- CBS Sports – Nr. $ 27 – $ 1.97 million first-year salary, $ 10.15 million four-year salary
- The Athletic – Nr. 33 – $ 898,310 first year salary, $ 2.4 million two year salary
- Tankathon – Nr. $ 36 – $ 449,115 one-year salary (two-way contract)
If the difference is, say, choice no. 16 in 2021 and choice no. 10 in 2022, the risk of injury and making a hit may not be worth the difference of millions per year over four seasons in the League. If it were to slide by the 1920s, we’re now talking about a difference of about $ 20 million from the first five selection projects it should have taken in its time in Kentucky.
Guaranteed money is important, but there is a strong difference between life-changing money that comes with late selection in the first round and generational money that comes with choosing the top five. And, given that the 2022 NBA project will be exponentially weaker than the 2021 class, it certainly doesn’t go beyond the possibility of returning to that top five status with efficient shooting, improved endurance, and continued growth as a defender in 2021-22. .
If Boston goes back to school and mediates, say, 18 points at 45% shooting and 35% from three with 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest, it’s immediately back on track. And this is a difference of 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.6 steals per game more than it calculates now, along with the increase of the target percentage by 9% and the percentage of 3 points with less less than 5%. All the jumps that could be made, and with Boston, no doubt, exuded confidence – he once said he wanted to be the greatest basketball player of all time – one would think he would not be afraid to bet on himself.
Beyond the numbers and money – and this is certainly the most significant part of them – Boston has failed to get Kentucky experience for which he signed up when he joined the program in July 2019. He did not receive the hearty cheers of the Rupp Arena soldier crowds, the warm welcome that comes with Big Blue Madness, the typical spotlight and the fanfare that comes with events like Champions Classic and CBS Sports Classic, hostile road environments and crowds of SEC and NCAA tournaments. On the floor, he failed to interact with If Anything, his experience in the Sierra Canyon as a senior playing alongside artists such as Ziaire Williams, Bronny James and Zaire Wade in sold-out arenas, with celebrities sitting by the yard every time he played was more “Kentucky” than Kentucky was this season. That’s it where he thrived and increased his traction stock for the first time, without listening to the sounds of dribbling, shoe creaking and screaming coach echoes through the empty seats.
Improving statistics and increasing the stock of projects could go hand in hand with things that simply return to normal in the 2021-22 season.
Is it a done deal that Boston refuses the career path in favor of returning to Kentucky for another season? Goodness does not. In fact, if it weren’t for Calipari opening the door to this possibility last weekend, I’m not sure anyone would discuss it as a legitimate possibility right now.
But Cal opened that door and it’s definitely worth exploring.