Like Kentucky teammates PJ Washington and Tyler Herro, freshman guard Keldon Johnson has decided that he’ll keep his name in the 2019 NBA draft pool rather than leaving the door open to return to the Wildcats, the school announced in a press release.
Johnson’s decision to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility doesn’t come as a real surprise. Like Washington and Herro, Johnson is projected to be a first-round pick, coming in as the No. 20 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com.
Speaking of that big board, another prospect in that top 100 has declared for the 2019 NBA draft, according to Givony, who reports that Brazilian wing Marcos Lousada Silva has submitted the necessary paperwork.
Silva, the 61st overall prospect on ESPN’s board, impressed scouts and executives at the Nike Hoops Summit in Portland, and has had a productive season in the Brazilian league. NBA scouts have taken notice of the youngster’s high energy level and defensive versatility, Givony adds.
The following prospects are also testing the 2019 NBA draft waters as early entrants, joining the ever-growing list:
- Vrenz Bleijenbergh, F, Belgium (born 2000) (link via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando)
- Kellan Grady, G, Davidson (sophomore) (link via David Scott of The Charlotte Observer)
- A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (freshman) (Twitter link via Lawson)
- Jeremiah Tilmon, F, Missouri (junior) (press release via school)
- Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (freshman) (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of Sports Illustrated)
Herro and Johnson both should stay. PJ helped himself tremendously by coming back. Maybe not so much by his draft position, but he’s set up to be a much better pro after coming back.
He helped himself a ton in draft position as well. Last year he was projected to be a mid second round pick at best. This year he is mocked around pick #15 or so.
If Herro stayed, not only would he become the next Kentucky legend, he would probably be a lottery pick next year.
I think Johnson should go simply because I don’t think he is going to get any better. He seems a lot like the Harrison twins or Skal Labissiere. They were projected top 10 picks in the draft until they showed up and weren’t nearly as good against good competition. Johnson was mocked as around a top 5-8 pick before the season and did very little to enhance his value. In fact he probably hurt it with his disappearing acts.
Yes I have little confidence in Johnson… and I could have said the same thing about Washington last year. But now PJ’s a find in my mind.
I would respect Herro a bit more if he pronounced as *hairo* than “hero”. . . on top of the Wisconsin de-commit fiasco. He looks good but doesn’t have the quick mind that Ty Jerome has, and never seemed to get inside.
Toppin is a fun player to watch but I doubt a serious prospect at this point. Maybe I say that because I would prefer a UD player returns!
You’d respect him more if his name was pronounced differently? Asinine way of deciding whether someone is worthy or respect
So what do you think about a guy calling himself Hero– esp when it’s not spelled that way.
As Tina Turner said, “We don’t need another heer-ro…”
It’s spelled more like hero than hairo.
I would just pronounce it Herro, as in Ai-rro, looks hispanic to me, so we gotta roll the rrr’s in the beautiful way that they do!
Two consonants before the vowel makes the vowel what?– short. “Hairo” is closer to the short “e” than “hero”. How else to type the short “e” besides herro? Hehro?
From a UK promo:
“Not “harrow”… or “her-ro,” like “if there is a hot girl in your class, sit in her row.”
It is “hero,” like the Enrique Inglesias song.”
I like @cesc’s take. (There should be more rolled r’s on TV!) Non-English Indo-European pronunciation generally sets “e” to sound as “a”, and “Herro” doesn’t look English. He did say in the promo that he doesn’t want to called a white shooter. At 3 for 16 from 3 in the tournament, I’ll agree. Frankly he hurt his team trying to show off athleticism instead of taking the shot others set up.
Well nice discussion I guess.