I really hope Mullins comes back

[EnochRoot]

They do and they don’t…

Castle was as much an on display of what San Antonio wanted…less potential and more we see what we’re getting and we likey.

Clingan to an extent realized his potential in the 2024 NCAA tourney.

So while the NBA drafts on potential they always get some reality - like Mullins magic shot vs Duke and his release.

Others yes potential and some GMs are less analytical.

I've no idea where to rank Mullins in 3pt%, cuz some places he's around 100 and others he's like 300th, so I take that to assume the 300th does not take into account attempts to qualify the statistic.

His long range game is a work in progress. He wouldn't make it into the first round if that's all he brought. His mid range game is fantastic, and he's a near lock from the FT line. He's got the touch.

He just needs about 15 lbs of muscle to better stand his ground (and for endurance purposes).

 

[jibsey]

He has him between 18-30. Even if he is 30th, he is good as gone. NBA there is freedom of movement not like college. I doubt he wants to deal with another grueling college season

He loves college, his girlfriend came to UConn to be with him and should he go she has to change colleges or separate from him( some say no big deal but..) There are a ton of factors for him to consider and he’s going to get his money, probably a lot more 1 year later.
Also, what were the best years of your life? If you went to college it was those years, hanging with your friends day and night. Partying and having fun. Maybe he wants 1 more year of that.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

Mullins will face BETTER defenses in the NBA not worse. And if he ain’t ready for a “grueling” 35 to 40 game NCAA schedule, he definitely won’t love up to a 100 game NBA seaso

Mullins will face BETTER defenses in the NBA not worse. And if he ain’t ready for a “grueling” 35 to 40 game NCAA schedule, he definitely won’t love up to a 100 game NBA season

I dont think he is ready either, like I didnt think McNeeley was ready. He is not going to turn down NBA money. Of course defenses are better, its the NBA, but they don't clutch and grab like they do in college and im pretty sure he is not going to play 100 games.

 

[aceboon]

Ok not scouts, so NBA mock drafts are usually wrong?

These guys pretty much start out with a standard board/list, from there they'll move guys up and down based on performances and claim they have intel from front offices but alot of times they just don't want to move on from their pre-baked biases and predictions. Last year around this same timeframe every mock draft that was being posted here had McNeeley going teens or early 20s at the latest, but yet he didn't come off the board until the 2nd to last pick of the first round. Just look at the latest Bleacher Report mock draft, Wasserman has Mullins going 9th and says he had a strong FF, Mullins hit some shots early vs Illinois and then of course made the big dagger late but he shot 9 for 31 from the field. He mixed it up on the boards and I thought he held up well defensively but I'm not calling that peformance strong unless you're determined to not move off your early draft projections.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25262746-2026-nba-mock-draft

 

[FlexOnEm]

I dont think he is ready either, like I didnt think McNeeley was ready. He is not going to turn down NBA money. Of course defenses are better, its the NBA, but they don't clutch and grab like they do in college and im pretty sure he is not going to play 100 games.

Fortunately in the NIL era, players don’t need to choose between returning to school or getting paid. If he goes pro he’d probably make $3-4 million in his first year. If he returns he could probably comfortably pull $2 million.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Sadly. I hope he doesnt end up like Jordan Hawkins who also left before he could develop his game for the NBA. Sure both guys can shoot the ball but neither could really beat their defender off the bounce, were turnover prone, werent very strong and arent super athletes. Heck you could even throw Liam McNeeley in the mix as another guy who shouldve stayed and developed his game.
I always hear that guys can develop that stuff after getting drafted but do they really? Sure some guys do but a lot of guys dont and you dont hear from them again. The only guy i see is Castle but i think we can agree these other guys i mentioned arent on his talent level especially physically. Im usually ok with guys leaving but from what ive seen from Mullins he`d best serve himself and his bank account coming back.

I really don’t understand this take. Do you think the development spigot magically turns off the second they leave for the NBA? Like do you really think if Hawkins had stayed another year he’d be a vastly different player in the NBA? He’d have figured out some things in one year back at UConn that he hasn’t figured out in 3 seasons playing relatively consistent minutes in the NBA?

 

[RuffRuff]

I really don’t understand this take. Do you think the development spigot magically turns off the second they leave for the NBA? Like do you really think if Hawkins had stayed another year he’d be a vastly different player in the NBA? He’d have figured out some things in one year back at UConn that he hasn’t figured out in 3 seasons playing relatively consistent minutes in the NBA?

Exactly - some here think an extra year of school magically prepares a kid for the NBA. The Hurley school of hoops is basketball Hogsworth. Hogwash - they'll have plenty of development with the franchise that just invested millions in them. You stay if it makes better financial sense, and that's it.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

These guys pretty much start out with a standard board/list, from there they'll move guys up and down based on performances and claim they have intel from front offices but alot of times they just don't want to move on from their pre-baked biases and predictions. Last year around this same timeframe every mock draft that was being posted here had McNeeley going teens or early 20s at the latest, but yet he didn't come off the board until the 2nd to last pick of the first round. Just look at the latest Bleacher Report mock draft, Wasserman has Mullins going 9th and says he had a strong FF, Mullins hit some shots early vs Illinois and then of course made the big dagger late but he shot 9 for 31 from the field. He mixed it up on the boards and I thought he held up well defensively but I'm not calling that peformance strong unless you're determined to not move off your early draft projections.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25262746-2026-nba-mock-draft[/

I really don’t understand this take. Do you think the development spigot magically turns off the second they leave for the NBA? Like do you really think if Hawkins had stayed another year he’d be a vastly different player in the NBA? He’d have figured out some things in one year back at UConn that he hasn’t figured out in 3 seasons playing relatively consistent minutes in the NBA?

So about the NIL money, at what point in the draft will Mullins be making less NBA money than NIL money, if he stays.

 

[Vuce]

I dont think he is ready either, like I didnt think McNeeley was ready. He is not going to turn down NBA money. Of course defenses are better, its the NBA, but they don't clutch and grab like they do in college and im pretty sure he is not going to play 100 games.

My point is, the NBA is more physical than college. He is a G league guy for a couple years. He won’t be more open in the NBA than he is in college next year. College is way less grueling too - not sure why you brought that up

 

[WhereistheDove?]

My point is, the NBA is more physical than college. He is a G league guy for a couple years. He won’t be more open in the NBA than he is in college next year. College is way less grueling too - not sure why you brought that up

He’ll get more open looks in the NBA than UConn. The spacing is far better in the NBA and he’s not going to be nearly the focal point he is in UConn’s offense (at least to start).

 

[ArizonaHsky]

My point is, the NBA is more physical than college. He is a G league guy for a couple years. He won’t be more open in the NBA than he is in college next year. College is way less grueling too - not sure why you brought that up

Better players in NBA, obviously, but the refs call fouls and its not more physical than the grabbing and holding in college. He will definitely be more open in the NBA. Once again freedom of movement

 

[bigdog1002]

A number of people here that haven't caught on - his decision making process has many considerations. One may be another program giving him twice as much, willing to feature him in an offense that's less mechanical. Doubt that happens, but who knows. The portal era is pure chaos.

The offense is perfect for him. It made Jordan Hawkins into a lottery pick (that and one of the prettiest, most technically sound jumpshots I’ve ever seen)

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

A number of people here that haven't caught on - his decision making process has many considerations. One may be another program giving him twice as much, willing to feature him in an offense that's less mechanical.

Not sure what's allowed here and what's not these days but fending this off feels like the real challenge this offseason and there's a certain Ted Lasso looking cat that has me nervous.

 

[inWV]

His draft stock looks to be in the mid-teens from what I’ve seen. His shot is pure gold and he is a heady player in other aspects. He doesn't have a lot of meat on his bones and isn’t physically ready. He really doesn’t look like he’s ready for the league to my eyes, but the draft stock sites say otherwise.

 

[UCfor3]

Exactly - some here think an extra year of school magically prepares a kid for the NBA. The Hurley school of hoops is basketball Hogsworth. Hogwash - they'll have plenty of development with the franchise that just invested millions in them. You stay if it makes better financial sense, and that's it.

Hogsworth?? Lol

 

[Kemba15]

A number of people here that haven't caught on - his decision making process has many considerations. One may be another program giving him twice as much, willing to feature him in an offense that's less mechanical. Doubt that happens, but who knows. The portal era is pure chaos.

God, you’re still on this after hearing from him, his family, and people here how obsessed he is with Hurley and the program?

 

[upstater]

I really don’t understand this take. Do you think the development spigot magically turns off the second they leave for the NBA? Like do you really think if Hawkins had stayed another year he’d be a vastly different player in the NBA? He’d have figured out some things in one year back at UConn that he hasn’t figured out in 3 seasons playing relatively consistent minutes in the NBA?

If you're not ready, you're not going to get ANY minutes in the NBA.

So this is really a question of, will you improve more if you play in games or sit on the bench in the NBA.

If people here believed that Mullins would get consistent minutes in the NBA, it would be a no-brainer discussion.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

If you're not ready, you're not going to get ANY minutes in the NBA.

So this is really a question of, will you improve more if you play in games or sit on the bench in the NBA.

If people here believed that Mullins would get consistent minutes in the NBA, it would be a no-brainer discussion.

Did McNeeley think he was going to get consistent minutes? Its not that simple.

 

[Vuce]

He’ll get more open looks in the NBA than UConn. The spacing is far better in the NBA and he’s not going to be nearly the focal point he is in UConn’s offense (at least to start)

He gets tons of open looks at UConn, he hasn’t been nearly as good a shooter he was thought to be coming in. Braylon will be a two year G league guy and we won’t see him much for a couple seasons. Just needs to mature more physically and that will come in the G league too

 

[TheChamps990411]

I really don’t understand this take. Do you think the development spigot magically turns off the second they leave for the NBA? Like do you really think if Hawkins had stayed another year he’d be a vastly different player in the NBA? He’d have figured out some things in one year back at UConn that he hasn’t figured out in 3 seasons playing relatively consistent minutes in the NBA?

It wouldnt hurt to have come back. If he plays well and improves his game then his draft stock improves leading to a better contract as a rookie which is what you want because you dont know if youre going to cut it in the league. Playing 30 minutes a game as your teams #1 option in college for a year will help your game and financial future more than sitting 40 minutes a night in the NBA. Getting sent down to the Gleague helps but your contract is already signed and how has the GL worked out for 95% of players that get sent down? Its not exact science of course as i dont think you make any bad points i just think staying another years helps everyone involved.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

He gets tons of open looks at UConn, he hasn’t been nearly as good a shooter he was thought to be coming in. Braylon will be a two year G league guy and we won’t see him much for a couple seasons. Just needs to mature more physically and that will come in the G league too

That’s very different than he wouldn’t get open looks.

 

[upstater]

Did McNeeley think he was going to get consistent minutes? Its not that simple.

???

I'm not sure what you're responding to.

I'm the one saying that if you don't get minutes, you don't develop through gameplay.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If you're not ready, you're not going to get ANY minutes in the NBA.

So this is really a question of, will you improve more if you play in games or sit on the bench in the NBA.

If people here believed that Mullins would get consistent minutes in the NBA, it would be a no-brainer discussion.

Okay, the line of discussion you were responding to was about Hawkins, who has gotten minutes even though he (to this point) doesn’t seem ready for the NBA.

 

[djct1999]

Many have no idea what they’re talking about, slapping a list together on what they read elsewhere.

Finkelstein I’ll buy into.

Yeah, boneyarders know far more.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

???

I'm not sure what you're responding to.

I'm the one saying that if you don't get minutes, you don't develop through gameplay.

Im talking about if Mullins is going or not? I think he is definitely going and I dont blame him. I think he has a chance to be really good

 

[djct1999]

Judging him without the warm fuzzy feelings that are expected here on the Boneyard...he's physically the least ready to go of our recent draft picks and some of those have found themselves on the G League shuttle. Right now, he does not have a single skill that would keep him on the floor for an NBA team. (Please do not say shooting.) He will at some point, but he doesn't now and the NBA is not a patient organization.

Given his likely NIL number, not a bad idea to come back.

Says the same guy who consistently discredited this team most of the season and gave them no shot to reach the final 3 weeks ago.

 

[uconngb]

Judging him without the warm fuzzy feelings that are expected here on the Boneyard...he's physically the least ready to go of our recent draft picks and some of those have found themselves on the G League shuttle. Right now, he does not have a single skill that would keep him on the floor for an NBA team. (Please do not say shooting.) He will at some point, but he doesn't now and the NBA is not a patient organization.

Given his likely NIL number, not a bad idea to come back.

The one thing immediate family members typically don't have is objectivity. If the feedback they are getting is he is likely top 20 pick, he's gone. I don't disagree with anything you said about whether it's right or wrong in the long term for him, but that is not typically how these decisions are made.

 

[Vuce]

That’s very different than he wouldn’t get open looks.

The main point to the original post was that the defense will be better in the NBA than in college. He gets a ton of open looks at UConn and hasn’t made shots with the consistency anyone was expecting especially the coaching staff. Never said he wouldn’t get open looks at the next level. But he will be facing better defense. And he also will spend significant time in G league cities honing his skills with way less/no attention from fans and media so he can focus on strength and physicality

 

[RuffRuff]

Says the same guy who consistently discredited this team most of the season and gave them no shot to reach the final 3 weeks ago.

It appears we have some of both going on, some crotchety cynics and some delusional polyanas. I guess the right place is in the middle. It's nice that we can balance both ends of the scale to create a happy place.

 

[upstater]

Okay, the line of discussion you were responding to was about Hawkins, who has gotten minutes even though he (to this point) doesn’t seem ready for the NBA.

I follow him our NBA UConn player boxscores every night. I'm seeing he gets DNPs mostly. He does not get consistent minutes.