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The longer the NBA draft process has played out for Isaiah Briscoe, the more it's begun to look possible that the freshman guard actually does leave UK after an underwhelming season.
While Briscoe was a solid player who may very well be the team's best defender next year if he does return, he's not someone that looks remotely close to being ready for the NBA. But listening to him and his dad, it's clear that Briscoe never blossomed during his first college season in the way they both know he can once he regains his confidence.
That apparently has happened during the offseason and in workouts with various NBA teams, which could mean that there is actually a chance Briscoe is playing professionally next season.
In an interview with Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal, it was revealed that Briscoe has worked out for "four or five" NBA teams and has "a couple more" before making a final decision about whether to stay in this year’s NBA draft, his father George said.
"I get feedback and it’s positive, but that doesn’t mean you’re a pro," the elder Briscoe said. "He can score, he can play, but then it’s interesting because I didn’t see that (at Kentucky). It’s interesting."
George Briscoe said his son lost confidence at UK – he believes unfair media scrutiny contributed to that – but has regained his swagger in workouts for NBA teams.
"I have to figure out why my son is who he is right now in that NBA setting, but at Kentucky he’s not," the father said. "He’s getting back to being Isaiah now and I’m enjoying it. He goes into some of these workouts with this guy and that guy who are supposed to be first-round picks and does well."
At this point, I would still guess that Briscoe returns, but after it seemed like an inevitability just a few weeks ago, it now looks like something that may be more of a toss up that could go down to the wire. The deadline for Briscoe to withdraw is May 25th, so we'll know either way what Briscoe does within a week.