What if Gradey...

[AlOerter]

Came back next season and became a top 5 draft pick? If he got stronger and got a little better on defense and got a little better finishing drives with another year under the schooling of our coaching staff he could be a Naismith Award finalist.

[KUTradition]

he could be POY

would be awesome, but it ain’t happening imo

[randylahey]

You know damn well he ain't gonna be here next year

[NewtonHawk11]

Don't even get your hopes up. He could have a guaranteed $10M by getting drafted in lottery, this year, which seems likely.

Say he's the 10th pick this year. 1st year salary is $4M, 2nd year is $4.2M, 3rd year option is $4.4 and 4th year option is $5.6M. Guaranteed $8M and has the option to get up to $17M by year 4.

Say he's a top 5 the next year. 1st year salary is $6M, 2nd years is $6.3M, 3rd year option is $6.6M and 4th year option is $8.4M. Guaranteed $12M and has the option to get up to $27M by year 4.

So sure, he has the potential to get $10M more by end of year 4. But what if he comes back and has a catastrophic injury and loses out on basically all that money. My guess is he'll gladly take $17M in first 4 years and see what comes up next before he hits 23 years of age.

He'll maybe, MAYBE, get $1M being at Kansas next year with NIL. He'll be just fine going pro.

[pdub]

Right.
But say he's the 15th compared to the 5th.

5th: year 1 - 6.5, year 2 - 6.9, year 3 - 7.2, year 4 - 9.1, year 5 - 12.1
41.8 million.

15th: 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 5.7, 8
24.3 million

18 million difference over 5 years.
That's not nothin.

That said,
A: I think he's gone, you're already guaranteed more money than you'll ever need for your life within 3 years
B: Honestly a bit torn if I even want him back in today's environment - it more likely means he is getting in the neighborhood of a million dollars. Meh.

[MICHHAWK]

olivia dunne makes 7 figures. have you seen olivia dunne.

if gd can command 7 figures i'll eat my hat.

[surly]

always begs the question if it's better to get 5* studs like dick or develop 3 and 4* dudes like jalen wilson and dajuan harris? winning teams generally are old.

[Mjl]

Tait's take on it
https://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale- ... is-facing/

[InfiniteJ]

The people at Mass Strategies are confident that they can get Gradey enough NIL money to get him to stick around for another year.

[randylahey]

Newton hawks post about nba rookie contracts sums up why there is no chance dick comes back.

And if you go a step further, once a player gets through their initial rookie contract, they become eligible to sign max extensions, which is when th BIG money is made. No reason for him to delay that an extra year by wasting another year in college

[defixione]

I don't think one more year of prep work to help get him through his rookie year would be out of the realm of possibilities for him. I can think of at least five games this year when he didn't show up. One cannot do that in the pros and expect to stay a pro.

[randylahey]

I don't think one more year of prep work to help get him through his rookie year would be out of the realm of possibilities for him. I can think of at least five games this year when he didn't show up. One cannot do that in the pros and expect to stay a pro.

Pros do that all the time. Sometimes they literally don't even play. "Load management"

[KUTradition]

Self said as much, but about the only major flaw he’s got right now is physical strength

maybe he sees what happened to Ochai and JW, and chooses that same route?

[digitalkookie]

I don't think one more year of prep work to help get him through his rookie year would be out of the realm of possibilities for him. I can think of at least five games this year when he didn't show up. One cannot do that in the pros and expect to stay a pro.

Pros do that all the time. Sometimes they literally don't even play. "Load management"

Load management guys and those who "do that all the time" are established pros, not rookies

[MICHHAWK]

the kids come the kids go. i'm about the name on the front of the jersey.

[twocoach]

It would be an amazing story and would cement him in KU lore if he returned to be The Man and lead KU to a Final Four.

I doubt it happens. But it is fun to day dream.

[jfish26]

The fact that we're having this conversation at all is great - it's an example of why NIL is good for the sport (in addition to being good for the players).

College basketball would be better next year for Gradey being in it.

KU would be better next year for Gradey being in a jersey that says KANSAS across the front.

[NewtonHawk11]

KU would be better next year for Gradey being in a jersey that says KANSAS across the front.

I see what you did here.

[Back2Lawrence]

It’s be cool if he came back. Doubt it happens.

[AlOerter]

Notable players who returned last year:
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Armando Bacot, North Carolina
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Marcus Sasser, Houston
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Mike Miles, TCU
Tyrese Hunter, Texas
There are more, Jalen being one.