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UCLA, Syracuse among the 2014 NBA Draft Early Entry Losers

Jordan Adams

AP Photo

AP

Jordan Adams

AP Photo

AP

The NBA Draft’s early entry deadline came and went at midnight on Sunday. Who were this year’s five biggest winners?
MORE: The full list of players who have declared | Early Entry Winners

FIVE BIGGEST LOSERS

1. UCLA: The Bruins got crushed by early entry decisions this spring, losing three guys to the draft despite the fact that none of the three are close to being a lock for the first round. It was not a surprise that Kyle Anderson went pro. That decision was made public before the season even started. What was surprising, however, was that Zach LaVine made the decision to declare for the draft. He’s a 6-foot-5 guard and as explosive of a leaper as you will find, but he seemingly made up his mind to head to the professional level after a great start to the season despite the fact that he played terribly down the stretch.

Losing LaVine hurt, but the real blow was Jordan Adams. Adams had a chance to be a first-team all-american if he returned to school, and initially he did make the decision to come back for his junior season. But late on Saturday night, news broke that Adams had changed his mind and he announced that he was leaving for the NBA. With Adams back, UCLA was a top 15 team. With Adams and LaVine, they might have been a top ten team. Without either, they’re going to enter the season as a borderline top 25 team.

2. Syracuse: I’ll tell you what, Jim Boeheim and his coaching staff are just too good at developing point guards right now. Tyler Ennis was forced into a starting role this past season after Michael Carter-Williams blew up as a sophomore, and Ennis thrived. He entered the draft and will likely get picked in the lottery, leaving the Orange with, once again, just a single point guard on their roster, freshman Kaleb Joseph. The Orange also lost Jerami Grant to the NBA despite the fact that he’s looking at potentially being a second round pick. The Orange might not be a top 25 team is 2014-2015.

3. Michigan: Nik Stauskas was an all-american this past season, and while losing him to the draft hurts, it was the expected outcome for the last two months. Glenn Robinson III wasn’t much of a shock, either. It was more surprising that he returned to school for this past season. With Derrick Walton, Caris LeVert and Zak Irvin on the roster, the Wolverines can withstand the loss of those two. What they can’t withstand, however, is Mitch McGary going pro thanks to a positive drug test during the NCAA tournament. Losing McGary will leave Michigan without any kind of imposing size in the middle.

4. Missouri: The Tigers saw both Jabari Brown and Jordan Clarkson declare for the draft, which, when combined with the departure of head coach Frank Haith (a decision likely spurred on by those two draft decision), will leave the Tigers in a position where they are rebuilding. It may be for the best in the long-term, as the momentum that Haith had built at Missouri was gone, but it likely makes the Tigers an NIT team for next year.

5. UNLV: The Runnin’ Rebels lost both Khem Birch and Roscoe Smith to the NBA Draft, leaving them without one of the biggest, most athletic front court duos on the west coast. They weren’t all that effective in earning wins last season, as UNLV missed out on the NCAA tournament, but it means that head coach Dave Rice will once again be counting on talented-but-unproven youngsters next year.

Five more losers


  • New Mexico: With Kendall Williams and Cameron Bairstow graduation, Craig Neal needed Alex Kirk to anchor his team as he transitions into a new era. Instead, Kirk graduated and left for the NBA.
  • Colorado: The Buffaloes were a top 20 team if Spencer Dinwiddie returned. He didn’t.
  • Indiana: The Hoosiers are likely looking at another trip to the NIT as they lost Noah Vonleh, a top ten pick, to the NBA.
  • N.C. State: The Wolfpack had to expect that T.J. Warren would be heading to the NBA Draft after the way that he played down the stretch of the season, but that won’t change the fact that it hurts losing a guy that could score the way Warren can.
  • Xavier: The Musketeers lost Semaj Christon to the NBA despite the fact that he likely ends up being a second round pick.