Indiana Basketball: Should Juwan Morgan go to the NBA?
By Eric Brown
Now that Indiana’s basketball season is over, all eyes turn to next year. The most interesting scenario involves Juwan Morgan, should he go pro?
With Indiana’s crushing loss to Rutgers on Thursday night, their season effectively comes to an end, barring a surprising NIT bid. Which, honestly they do not deserve after losing to one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. They also lost to IPFW, and Indiana State, so an NIT invite seems unlikely. With the season over it is time to look forward to next season. One of the biggest questions for next year’s roster depends on whether Juwan Morgan heads to the NBA.
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As one of the most improved players in the Big Ten this season, Morgan has a tough decision ahead of him. Should he continue to play basketball for free, or should he attempt to go pro to make money?
If Juwan does indeed choose to attend the NBA Combine, he has the luxury of coming back to Indiana thanks to the latest rule that allows players to get evaluated by NBA scouts, and if they don’t like what they hear, they can go back to college.
Going to the combine has it’s pros and cons. Likely a 3 in the NBA, Morgan will be paired up against faster, and stronger players during the combine. If he ends up playing well, his stock could skyrocket. However, if he ends up playing terrible, scouts could question whether he will ever be ready for the NBA.
The 2017 season was a mixed bag of results for Juwan. He showed flashes here and there of what he could become, but he also had some games where he didn’t look like an NBA player. Averaging 16.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, he upped almost every statistical category from his sophomore season. Morgan is currently undrafted by the majority of mock drafts.
Next: Season ends in crushing loss to Rutgers
Going pro does not mean that the goal will be NBA or bust for Morgan. Plenty of solid collegiate players go undrafted, then sign contracts to play overseas or in the G-league for a small sum. If the NBA does come calling, he should seriously consider it.