University of Memphis freshman star Dedric Lawson has decided to enter his name in the 2016 NBA Draft, but he does have the option to return to school if he doesn’t receive good feedback on his draft stock.
Lawson, the 2015-16 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, averaged 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds while tying U of M legend Keith Lee’s freshman record with 17 double-doubles.
“If the feedback is something that (Dedric) and his family want to hear, then he can stay in the draft,” Tigers’ coach Josh Pastner said on Monday at his season-ending press conference. “If it’s something where he feels he needs more time to improve his stock, he would then come back.”
The NCAA approved a proposal in January that will allow players to wait until 10 days after the NBA Draft combine, which will be held May 11-15, to decide whether or not to keep their name in the draft – making this year’s decision date May 25.
Prospects are allowed to go through individual workouts with teams as well as participate in the combine, if invited. Then, after receiving feedback from NBA teams, the player can either stay in the draft or return to school with no penalty to his collegiate eligibility.
The NBA regular season won’t end until mid-April, and it is not expected that Lawson – or any prospect – will begin working out for teams before the season’s conclusion.
“We’re getting all the clarifications on the exact rule and when he can start doing the workouts with the NBA teams,” Pastner said. “The real feedback is not going to happen until you get to May.”
Lawson is still just 18 years old and should technically be a senior in high school after graduating a year early to join his older brother, K.J., who missed 24 games with an Achilles injury, at Memphis.
“It’s been told to me that’s it’s very important for Dedric to play with his brother, and he didn’t get to do that this year,” Pastner said. “His brother will be healthy next year, and that is a big thing for Dedric. That’s going to carry a lot of weight in Dedric’s decision is about K.J. being back. So if there’s any borderline with Dedric, he’s going to choose to come back based on being able to now play with K.J.”
Despite putting up gaudy numbers as a freshman, Lawson is not currently ranked in DraftExpress’s top 100 prospects, and he does not appear in most mock drafts.
Some scouts are concerned over his lack of athleticism and his rather slender, somewhat frail-looking frame.
There is still an ample amount of time for teams to evaluate Lawson between now and May 25, and it only takes one NBA front office to believe in his skill-set to make him a first round pick.
“What’s best for Dedric Lawson is that if he has the opportunity to be a first round pick, and this is what I’ve always said, if you’ve got the chance to be a first round pick, you have to go – I believe that,” Pastner said.
Lawson averaged 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds en route to winning the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. Memphis coach Josh Pastner announced Dedric Lawson would test the NBA waters Monday.
