Florida State commit Jonathan Isaac of Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy is considering entering the NBA Draft this year, but it turns out he may not be eligible until 2017.
“Yes I am considering it,” the 6-foot-10 forward told SNY.tv, confirming comments he initially made to SI.com. “I’m not 100 percent. I’m gathering information and will decide.”
Since the one-and-done rule was adopted in 2005, no high school player has gone directly to the NBA.
Isaac turns 19 on Oct. 3 and would be eligible age-wise, but may not fufill all the NBA criteria.
Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com currently has Isaac projected at No. 12 in 2017 and said Isaac is not eligible for 2016 because he won’t be a year removed from his graduating class. According to IMG’s coaches, Isaac still hasn’t received his diploma from the school.
Multiple teams reached out to NBA league office to inquire, but were told J. Isaac is not draft eligible. Does not have his diploma in hand.
– Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 5, 2016
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Isaac may be able to become draft-eligible by hiring a lawyer and forcing his way into the draft, but NBA’s stance is he is not as of now.
– Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 5, 2016
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Isaac’s issue is that while he’s in his 5th year of high school, he’s not a year removed from graduating high school. Maybe if he drops out?
– Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 5, 2016
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Under a new rule adopted this year, players can test the waters by participating in the Chicago Combine and hold an NBA workout but still return to college if they’re not deemed ready for the NBA.
Interestingly, IMG director Dan Barto told SI.com that Skal Labissiere’s poor performance this year at Kentucky has figured into Isaac’s thought process.
“I honestly think this is a game-changer,” Barto said. “The high school kids are going to have to make a decision. Do I go to college and be exposed like Skal Labissiere at Kentucky or move down the draft charts like Dedric Lawson at Memphis and fall off the radar like a lot of the kids that graduated last year? Or should I be Emmanuel Mudiay and go to China or go to an IMG and be the seventh pick?”
As it turns out, Isaac may have to wait until 2017 to get drafted.
“He is a senior,” IMG coach John Mahoney told SNY.tv. “I just asked him. He will be at Florida State.”
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