K-State guard Kamau Stokes among large group of early entrants for NBA Draft
The NBA announced Tuesday that 182 basketball players have filed as early entry candidates for the league’s upcoming draft.
Kansas State guard Kamau Stokes was surprisingly listed among them.
Stokes was not thought to be an NBA prospect when his sophomore season came to a close last month, and he never publicly announced his decision to test the NBA waters. Still, he discussed the pros and cons of exactly that topic earlier this month with K-State basketball coach Bruce Weber and decided to throw his name into the mix without hiring an agent.
“Kamau wanted to get some exposure and maybe some workouts with teams,” Weber said. “Obviously, everyone has the dream of making it in the NBA. They changed the rule so you can (declare) as many times as you want. We talked to him and his parents about it. It’s no harm, no foul.”
He has until May 24 to withdraw his name from draft consideration and return to K-State for his junior year.
Stokes averaged 11.7 points, 4.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds while starting at point guard for the Wildcats last season. He helped them win 21 games and reach the NCAA Tournament.
Early entrants give themselves the ability to participate in NBA workouts before making a decision. Taking this step has become increasingly common in recent years, even for players who largely intend to return to school. Only 60 players will be selected in the NBA Draft in June, yet more than triple that number declared early.
Weber said Stokes wasn’t the only K-State player that asked him about declaring early. A handful of players approached him about the possibility, with sophomore guard Barry Brown showing the most interest. But only Stokes is testing the NBA waters.
He has his coach’s blessing.
“I anticipate he will be back next season,” Weber said. “But he’s also got a dream. Hopefully this is a good experience for him.”
Kellis Robinett: @kellisrobinett
This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 6:09 PM with the headline "K-State guard Kamau Stokes among large group of early entrants for NBA Draft."