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Aztecs’ McDaniels declares for NBA draft, but won’t hire agent

SDSU forward Jalen McDaniels goes up to the basket as Air Force forward Lavelle Scottie attempts to block.
(Chadd Cady / U-T)
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San Diego State redshirt freshman Jalen McDaniels has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, but he’s not gone yet.

The 6-foot-10 forward won’t hire an agent, meaning he can return to college basketball if his draft prospects are not as promising as he wants. But it does give him a chance to work out for an NBA club and possibly at the draft combine, gaining valuable insight into what the next level looks like.

“I absolutely welcome it,” SDSU coach Brian Dutcher said. “I would never discourage him from doing it. We think he’s got a chance to be a pro. And it’s not like he’s a true freshman. He’s a redshirt freshman, so I don’t think it’s out of the ordinary to try.”

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“Testing the waters,” McDaniels said in a statement, “allows me to get feedback directly from NBA teams.”

The rules have changed in recent years, allowing underclassmen to declare for the draft as many times as they want (it used to be once) during their college career and return each time as long as they don’t hire an agent, which would pierce the bubble of amateurism. The window to make a decision has been expanded as well, with players having until June to withdraw their name.

In the past, that date was typically before the draft combine, which this year is May 16-20 in Chicago. The draft itself is June 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

That gives players more time to assess their prospects of becoming a first-round pick, when contracts are guaranteed. That also gives their college teams less time to find a replacement if they do leave.

By June, nearly all the high school prospects eligible the following season are spoken for, and many transfers have picked their new destinations as well.

“You just say, ‘Congratulations, Jalen,’” Dutcher said when asked what he’d do if McDaniels stayed in the draft. “What can you do? If he’s good enough to be a first-round pick and he’s on an NBA roster, it helps for the future recruiting classes. We’re putting guys in the NBA. That’s what you want to do.

“Maybe short-term it hurts but long-term, with Kawhi (Leonard) in the NBA and other guys there, you get the kind of recruits who want to get to the NBA. Obviously in the short tern, we’d have to put other pieces in there. But that’s just the way it is.”

Two things would probably have to happen for Dutcher to cross that bridge: McDaniels would have to be one of the 60-odd players invited to the combine, and he’d have to shine enough to elevate into the 30-team first round. Most current mock drafts do not list him in the two-round draft.

So far, 13 underclassmen have declared, but dozens more likely will before the April 22 entry deadline. And it’s expected to be a deep draft for young bigs, with freshmen Deandre Ayton of Arizona, Marvin Bagley III of Duke, Michael Porter of Missouri, Jaren Jackson Jr. of Michigan State and Mohamed Bamba of Texas expected by some to be the top five picks.

NBADraft.net projects 10 other players 6-9 or taller to go in the first round.

The No. 1 piece of feedback McDaniels will receive, you’d think, is adding weight and girth. McDaniels has a wiry build, and most scouts have suggested another year in a college weight room would do him good.

One respected scout privately told the Union-Tribune that McDaniels might not be a first-round pick in 2018 but could, with a strong sophomore season, position himself as a lottery pick in 2019 or beyond.

McDaniels was named Mountain West preseason freshman of the year in 2016-17. He opted to redshirt instead, not because SDSU couldn’t use him but so he could dedicate more time to lifting weights and working on individual aspects of his game without the grind of suiting up.

He began this season coming off the bench but was promoted to a starter after a 15-point, 10-rebound performance in a win against nationally-ranked Gonzaga. He started 17 of 18 conference games, leading the Aztecs in scoring and rebounding while shooting 62.8 percent from the floor and 81.3 percent from the line.

The NBA really took notice in a late-season game against Boise State at Viejas Arena, where 34 scouts, including representatives from most NBA teams, came presumably to see Broncos star senior Chandler Hutchison – and left drooling about McDaniels, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting in a 72-64 victory.

He also had a big second half in the NCAA Tournament game against Houston, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds in the 67-65 loss that ended SDSU’s season.

Underclassmen declaring for the draft can work out for one NBA team plus the combine, if invited. They also can receive an anonymous evaluation from a group of NBA general mangers of where they’re expected to be drafted.

“You go against other guys, see how the workout is and see what they think of you,” Dutcher said. “I think it’s good.”

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mark.zeigler@sduniontribune.com

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