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Jarred Vanderbilt has declared for the NBA Draft. He announced the decision on Friday, but added that he will not hire an agent.
Appreciate the support!✊ pic.twitter.com/pGsYuvGEJD
— Jarred Vanderbilt (@JVando) April 20, 2018
Vanderbilt didn’t spend much time on the floor as a freshman at UK. He missed the first 17 games with a foot injury, not playing his first game until January 16. He then missed the last six games of the year as well with a sprained ankle. He totaled just 238 minutes.
In his time on the floor, Vanderbilt averaged 5.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and one assist per game.
At 6-9, 214 lbs, Vanderbilt is the perfect size for an NBA wing, and he has the athleticism for that role, plus added rebounding ability. The concern is on the offensive end, as Vanderbilt doesn’t have a lot of consistency and struggles with his jumper. He showed at Kentucky that he needed some polishing when it comes to scoring.
Vanderbilt is right on the fringe of being drafted at this point. Sports Illustrated has him listed at No. 65 on the big board, and ESPN has him at No. 64. NBAdraft.net does not have him on their mock draft.
It’s not helping matters that Vanderbilt reportedly needs surgery. If that’s true, then it’s hard to see an NBA team spending even a second-round pick on him. Since April of last year, Vanderbilt has had three different significant lower-leg injuries.
It would greatly benefit Vanderbilt to return, as he could be drafted a lot higher in a weak 2019 draft class.