UK Basketball: Jarred Vanderbilt to skip NBA Draft Combine

Jarred Vanderbilt has announced he will not attend the NBA Draft Combine.

That certainly increases the chances Vanderbilt returns for his sophomore season, but it’s far from a done deal. Then again, assuming he’s not healthy enough to go through the combine, he’s probably not healthy enough to work out for teams.

I’m giving a slight edge to Vanderbilt returning to UK.

The NBA Draft Combine begins this week, as several Kentucky Wildcats will be working out in Chicago.

However, Jarred Vanderbilt may not be among them. According to SEC Country’s Kyle Tucker, Vanderbilt may skip the combine due to not being healthy enough to even work out there.

There have been rumors that Vanderbilt has undergone surgery to repair one of his many lower-leg injuries suffered over the last year. The most recent was a reported ankle sprain that caused him to miss the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Whatever the case may be. It’s pretty clear that Vanderbilt needs another year in college, if for no other reason than to show NBA teams he can stay healthy for a full season.

But Vanderbilt may not want to risk another lower-leg injury that could kill any hope of being selected in future drafts. His NBA stock is reportedly higher than anticipated, so he may just jump to the pros now in hopes of being a second-round pick, though most NBA Mock Drafts have him going undrafted. He was not listed in ESPN’s latest mock draft.

Whatever his decision may be, UK fans should do nothing but wish him the best as he tries to make his NBA dreams a reality. He has a world of potential that, if reached, can help him have a long and productive NBA career.

If Vanderbilt thinks it’s time to begin that journey, then good luck to him trying to make his dreams a reality.

Be sure to read Tucker’s full report on how challenging Vanderbilt’s decision could prove to be.