Thon Maker's petition to the NBA to enter this year's draft unlikely to be accepted
Bleacher Report:
Five-star recruit Thon Maker will declare for early entry into the 2016 NBA draft, which will require a ruling from the NBA to determine his eligibility.
“We believe that Thon has fulfilled the academic requirements to be eligible for the 2016 draft," Edward Smith, Maker's legal guardian, said to Bleacher Report. "He will apply for the 2016 NBA draft and await approval from the NBA.”
The problem is the NBA not only has an age minimum requirement which Maker obviously passes, but also requires prospective draftees to be 1 year removed from high school. Since Thon Maker is currently a high school senior, I'd be shocked if the NBA makes an exception here. The league has been adamant that not only do they like the age minimum requirement, they would like to negotiate in the next CBA for it to be extended to two years removed from high school.
If the NBA was to allow Maker to enter the draft it would set a huge precedent that they have no desire to create. I mean like KG says, "Anything is possible," but I would count on Thon Maker being available in 2017 and not this year. He's an intriguing raw talent who if hypothetically was in this draft, Danny might consider with the Brooklyn pick or the Dallas one. Danny likely regrets passing on the Greek Freak a few years back and that might make him more likely to gamble now on Maker.
The problem is Maker had this ridiculous youtube video years ago that wet everyone's appetite, but since then scouts have not been impressed.
Once considered a potentially transcendent prospect, mostly by uninformed voices based on his Youtube highlight reels, Maker's draft stock has never really gotten off the ground in the eyes of NBA scouts as he has struggled to separate himself in many of the events he's been seen at.
He's a player to keep an eye on though, since the Celtics are able to swap picks with the Nets next season.
Looks good huh? But here is Draft Express' Weaknesses video:
