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2017 NBA Draft Early Entry Candidates Listed

By Bret Stuter

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announces that the 76ers receive the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announces that the 76ers receive the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Draft Early Entry Candidates List Released in April 2017 has significant meaning in advance of NBA Combine

The Philadelphia 76ers will be reading the list and checking it twice.  It’s not a matter of naughty or nice, but rather a matter of which prospects will enter the 2017 NBA Draft, and which will return to the NCAA.

The official list of 2017 Early Entry candidates was released via press release on the NBA.com website. While it was newsworthy then, it did get adequate coverage.

But with the arrival of the 2017 NBA Combine, that list takes on a larger role.  Per the press release, 137 players from colleges and 45 international players have announced their intentions to enter the 2017 NBA Draft. That is three times the number of available picks.

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    • Will all candidates be available for the 2017 NBA Draft? Well no.

    There is No Going Back, Except Early Entry Candidates

    The NBA wisely modified the rules for college candidates in 2016.  In short, candidates from U.S. colleges may elect early entry for consideration to the upcoming NBA Draft.  As long as the candidate does not hire an agent and has remaining NCAA eligibility, they can rescind their entry into NBA Draft some 14 days following the NBA Combine.

    This gives NCAA basketball players invaluable experience.  Not only do they get a “trial run” at the NBA combine, but they can return to NCAA competition armed with feedback from NBA scouts and executives about ways to strengthen their game and improve their chances in upcoming drafts.

    Max Holm at Hoops Habit has a great article focusing on that seldom publicized aspect of the combine.  He names three players to watch at the upcoming combine who have the option to return to NCAA competition.

    Should he stay or should he go?

    The decision to stay or return to the NCAA can be the difference between millions and heart breaking disappointment.  Recall that the Philadelphia 76ers former player Christian Wood was one such player who expected to be a first round prospect, but never heard his name called at the NBA Draft.

    The disappointment captured in his post draft disappointment was tangible.

    So there is drama to be found in the NBA Combine, if you know where to look.  In the end, more prospects will attempt to enter the NBA than available spots.  Then it’s signing on, playing summer league or international basketball.  The dream to play basketball can lead a man along a very windy career path.

    Next: 2017 NBA Lottery: Philadelphia 76ers Probabilities

    But it all starts this week at the 2017 NBA Combine.