Ryan Boatright had a very interesting 2013-2014 season. In the NCAA Tournament, he showed star potential during UConn’s shocking run at a national championship. He hit big shots, played lock-down defense, and didn’t miss a free throw in the last four games of the season (16-16).
Yet, by the numbers, Boatright averaged 12 points, 2.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game during the tournament — almost identical to his season averages of 12.1, 3.4 and 3.5. To take it a step further, a year earlier, during the 2012-2013 season, Boatright averaged more points (15.4), more assists (4.4), shot better from the floor (42.9% vs. 39% this year), and got to the free throw line more often. Watching him on the court, it is hard to argue that Boatright was not an improved player — but those numbers can play tricks on you.
This is the problem with evaluating Boatright as he weighs whether or not to return to UConn for his senior season or to enter the NBA Draft. The talent you see as he blows by a defender, or strips a ball-handler, or throws down a dunk on a fast break, hasn’t translated to the box score — leaving many wondering if it ever will. None of the usual mock NBA draft suspects list Boatright — even as a second round pick.
Most players in that position don’t entertain the prospect of entering the Draft, and it seems obvious that Boatright shouldn’t either.
But that position is held in the abstract. You never know what the specific circumstances are in a young man’s life. Boatright has certainly faced his share of adversity, playing with a heavy heart this past season after the death of his cousin. Perhaps the desire to provide immediate assistance for his family is worth the risk of doing it while collecting paychecks in the D-League, or overseas.
Boatright has also expressed an interest in jumping to the NBA in the past — saying that he planned to make the jump following his sophomore season, but thought better of it due to his poor draft stock.
How much has his stock improved?
It would seem Boatright’s best chance to secure a lucrative future career for himself would be to return to Storrs for his senior season, play a full year without Shabazz Napier overshadowing him, and enter a much weaker 2015 Draft where he’ll face less competition (this year’s Draft is loaded). He will have a full offseason to attend camps, work on his jumper and midrange game, and will get to be the star on a UConn team that should get its fair share of media attention next season following their championship run earlier this month. He would also presumably finish his degree — a notable accomplishment in its own right.
In the end, the best you can hope for with a guy like Boatright is that his decisions are being guided by the right motives. If he decides to take a serious risk by entering the NBA Draft, you hope he is doing so because his family needs him to — or his coach, Kevin Ollie, has been assured by his NBA sources that Boatright will be selected. The other side of that coin is Boatright jumping ship due to the advice of uninformed friends and family, or his own desire and impatience.
Hopefully Boatright makes the decision that is best for him, and for his future. That decision should be to return to UConn.
Tyler, do you feel like you could have written a similar article on DeAndre Daniels, or do you feel like he is more NBA-ready at this moment. I see his season arc as similar to Boat’s. I’m sure most UConn faithful want him to take another year to polish himself. A Boatright/Daniels combination next year could be a two-headed monster reminiscent of Okafor/Gordon.
We talked about Daniels in the podcast. He’s more ready than Boatright, but he also has more to gain by coming back. I imagine both want to go now, but will be scared off by the uncertainty and return to UConn.