A prized recruit in the 2014 class, Cliff Alexander was set to be the next great freshman center at Kansas, under head coach Bill Self, before heading off to the NBA. After dealing with on-court struggles, and then being deemed ineligible for competition by the NCAA, only part of that tale came true.
Alexander declared for the NBA Draft on Tuesday, a move that was much less of a choice than it was the only option he had left. In 28 games played, he averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 17.6 minutes.
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Rashad Vaughn, UNLV: Vaughn was one of the bright spots in another rough season for UNLV and Dave Rice. Once he injured his knee, it looked like the Rebels might luck out and have him back for his sophomore season. No luck in Vegas though, as Vaughn will take his high scoring talents to the NBA.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona: One of the premier defenders in college basketball, Hollis-Jefferson had nothing left to prove in Tucson. His departure to the NBA should allow him the chance to truly develop the offensive side of his game, namely his shooting.
Smith-Rivera Changes Mind
Georgetown’s D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera surprised many folks in the CBB community by announcing his intentions to enter the NBA Draft. While he wasn’t likely to be selected in the first round, or possibly at all, some thought it made sense or him to get his professional days started sooner rather than later, even if they were in Europe.
However, on Tuesday afternoon, it was announced that Smith-Rivera had changed his mind and would return to Georgetown in 2015-2016. Smith-Rivera is a legitimate contender for Big East Player of the Year next season, and could help the Hoyas land on top of the conference.
