In the wake of Monday night’s win over Gonzaga, UNC big man Tony Bradley told Aaron Beard of The Associated Press (Twitter link) that he’ll test the NBA draft waters for 2017. Bradley can retain his NCAA eligibility while gauging his draft stock, but didn’t rule out the possibility of hiring an agent, Beard adds.
In his freshman year at North Carolina, Bradley played just 14.6 minutes per contest, but was productive when he was on the court, averaging 7.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG with a .573 FG%. Bradley ranks just 52nd on Jonathan Givony’s top 100 list at DraftExpress.com, but Chad Ford is more bullish on the 19-year-old, placing him 25th on ESPN’s big board.
Bradley, who chipped in five points and seven rebounds in UNC’s championship win on Monday, is viewed as “one of the most underrated players in the draft” by a number of scouts, according to Ford. ESPN’s draft guru adds that Bradley’s length, rebounding, and advanced numbers all point to promising upside as the 6’10” center continues to develop.
The full list of early entrants for this year’s draft can be found right here. NCAA underclassmen who enter their names in the draft pool without hiring an agent have until May 24 to withdraw.