ACC Nation

Column by Will Ojanen
will@accnation.com

I was a little surprised when I looked over the list of players who left school early for the NBA Draft. There were only four players from the ACC on it. And, coincidentally, all of them went to school in the state of North Carolina.

I’m not sure if it’s a telling sign of the state of the conference, but I would have expected the number to be twice what it is. But it also could be because most of the underclassmen realize that this upcoming NBA draft class is going to be very deep, and if they hire an agent, it could be career suicide if they don’t get drafted.

Here’s a look at the four players and what I think the future holds for them.

Wayne Ellington, UNC

Ellington had a solid sophomore campaign for the Heels, averaging a little over 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He can certainly score in bunches, and is really good at shooting threes (40 percent last season), and that part of his game will translate to the pros.

His downside right now is his size and defense. He’s lacking some bulk, and probably needs to put on 10-20 pounds in that department. His defense is okay, but it’s not good enough to make you wow.

Most mock drafts have him as a second round pick, and his best bet would be to go back for his junior year and make a run at the national championship.

Danny Green, UNC

Like pretty much everyone else, I was really surprised when he decided to declare. But he didn’t hire an agent, and with the rules the way they are, it never hurts to get a feel for how someone looks in the eyes of the pro scouts.

His family story is sad, with the troubles of his father being a drug dealer and being in and out of jail recently. Green’s numbers have increased in his three seasons at UNC, up to a career best 22 minutes, 11.5 points and five rebounds last season. He has a pretty nice shot, and is a good defender, but he isn’t anything really special.

He would be best served going back to school, have an increased role, and see his stock soar in his senior season.

J.J. Hickson, NC State

His first game in college proved how good he can be. He was perfect from everywhere on the floor. He has a lot of talent and, at 19, the sky is the limit for him. Hickson averaged 14 points and eight rebounds in his freshman season at NC State.

He is very athletic and can get up and down the court on both ends. He is probably a power forward in the pros, and at 6-9 and 240 pounds, can be a force down low. Unfortunately, he really didn’t care about school, or anything else other than going pro and making money, and that would personally set off a red flag for me. But at the same time, you can’t ignore the talent, and given all of that, he will play in the NBA next year, should he decide to go.

And my belief is that he will. He could be a mid first-round pick.

Ty Lawson, UNC

If there was one cartoon character I would compare Lawson too, it would be the roadrunner from Looney Tunes. He’s that fast on the court. Nobody could match his speed. And let’s not forget that he doesn’t turn the ball over. He’s averaged a 2.5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio in his two seasons in school, and that’s a very impressive stat.

He is a good shooter, but can be streaky at times. He averaged just under 13 points and five assists last season, but did miss a handful of games because of an injury. I’m really torn on this one. I think he could be a late first-round pick, but at the same time, if he goes back, and stays healthy, he could be a lottery pick next season.

But if you put a gun to my head, and made me choose one, I would say he should go back to school for his junior season.