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A Healthy Sophomore Season would be Best for Jarred Vanderbilt
Kentucky freshman forward Jarred Vanderbilt could announce his decision about his future at any moment. The deadline to do so is 11:59 p.m. ET. on Wednesday, May 30th.
Vanderbilt didn’t participate in the NBA Combine earlier this month, which John Calipari said was because he wasn’t physically able to participate in activities.
Multiple foot injuries caused the 6-foot-9 forward to miss 23 games last season. He made his season debut at South Carolina in January before missing the entire postseason after another injury leading up to the SEC Tournament.
If healthy, Vanderbilt likely hears his name called in the 2018 NBA Draft, but the seriousness of his injury has been kept quiet. ESPN’s Jay Bilas believes that Vanderbilt skipping the combine should send him back to Kentucky for a sophomore season. According to the Herald-Leader, Bilas said the following on set during the NBA Combine.
“If he’s not prepared to show his best self, then maybe he’s making the right decision. But you think if a guy is pegged as a second-round pick, you want to come and show what you got.”
Playing a full season at Kentucky could benefit Vanderbilt, especially if he is able to show he is healthy. Bilas believes a second year could be the best thing for him.
“He’s got some very good tools to work with. He’s not a polished product yet. Maybe he’s better off going back to school and getting a full year in where he can really play and show what he’s capable of doing.”
Vanderbilt, Wenyen Gabriel, and PJ Washington will make their decisions public within the next two days. Washington has already set Wednesday for an announcement.
