Aaron Craft Focused on Med School After College

 Interesting article.

As a 4.0 student with that type of ambition, he surely is an intelligent young man with a great head on his shoulders. He’s a proven defender, as the article points out that he is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

For those who are curious about his stat line from last year (his sophomore year):

(39 Games Played)

32.2 MPG  8.8 PPG  4.6 APG  3.2 RPG  2.5 SPG  50.0 FG%  35.9 3FG%  71.3 FT%

If he goes undrafted or simply decideds not to pursue a NBA career, a career in medicine is certainly a great 2nd option to fall back on. But he definitely has some NBA potential. I wish him the best of luck.

Prospects in all kinds of sports say this but still take part in the work out and pre draft process. I would just say this makes him more likely to stick around 4 years

because Royal Ivey did. He is twice the player and leader Royal Ivey was. I would love him on a team with a knuckle head point guard because you could always pull a young guard out and put him in and say this is how hard and fundamental I want you to play. He potentially could have got drafted this year in the late second round. It was rumored he looked into it as did Trey Burke of the U(n)M(en). He is really a kid I like seeing play basketball. I never thought I would see a guy beat people to the spot as did a young Dave Lighty but Craft is relentless. That stat of 2.5 steal a game is a sham, if you watch any tape he probably averaged 3.5 to 4 a game. Since his freshman year he has never gotten credit for the steals/blocks he really gets. On top of that he knocks one or two balls off guys legs as they drive or pull up and they go out of bounds. That should count as a steal or at least some new age forced turnover stat. 

His jumper is not NBA quality to say the least and he is hesitant to pull it often. But it is improving and much like Rondo, if he shoots it often even at a subpar percentage it will keep teams more honest. Him wanted to go into medicine is great and more power to him, but he can play in the League. He could be on special teams in the NFL if he wanted to, it actually seems like he would be perfect for that.

Honest his three doesn’t have to improve much, just his mid range. If he can keep his dribble at free throw line and just below and fend off guys with his body ala Jeremy Lin or a Rod Strickland he can be really effective in the NBA once he masters that mid range shot.

You are getting a FREE education. If you are not a lock for the NBA (2nd rd or undrafted) then stay in school, get a free college education and degree.

If you have pro aspirations, cool. It can even be Plan A for you. It just can’t be your ONLY plan.

Unless you commited to Kentucky apparently…

 Yea he needs to find a different profession other than basketball. I don’t think he will be very successful in the league. I don’t see the same things that most people do when it comes to him.

 Crazy. He should be a lock to play professionally right now. He can guard people and he shoots 50%. End of story. Put him on an NBA team right now and he would do fine. He can guard point guards. Every team in the freaking league needs that skill. He’s getting bad advice if he isn’t all in on working on his game. League minimum is $475,000. Every player on every team also gets endorsement money. I’d guess at least $100,000 even for the bench guys and certainly for a guy like Craft that has a national fan base already. Just one season will pay for any schooling he could ever want to do. 

 I honestly think he should not even pursue basketball. Not that he couldn’t play because he could but I think we could use one more doctor in the world and one less basketball player. Unless his dream is to play in the NBA, he should stick with medicine. He’s going to he successful either way and doctor is a stable career where he doesn’t have to travel if he doesn’t want to. The money is a wash in my eyes. Yea, the NBA can make him more money faster but he won’t be losing any meals either way.