Sixteen Division I freshmen left school early last year to declare for the 2016 NBA draft. Ivan Rabb wasn't one of them despite having flashed traditional one-and-done talent.
Instead, he'll take another season at California to continue building up his value—like a rebellious blackjack player risking a strong hand for a potential better one.
Rabb ignored the unwritten rules that advise projected lottery prospects to cash in. He's now in position to prove the book wrong and benefit—both developmentally and financially—from more college basketball. Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Kris Dunn just successfully pulled the same stunt. A perceived first-round lock in 2015, Dunn passed on the draft and returned to bolster his stock even further at Providence, soaring to No. 5 overall last June.
Rabb will be looking to mirror Dunn's rise, and though he's expected to have a more competitive field to battle in 2017, he's the type of prospect who could have afforded to gamble.
The chance of injury represents obvious risk, but it's the only one worth worrying about. Physical ...
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Article written by Jonathan Wasserman