Syracuse coach Boeheim on players leaving early: 'If you go 15th in the draft, you're nothing'

With all apologies to Steve Nash, Brent Barry, Al Jefferson, Robin Lopez, Kawhi Leonard, Larry Sanders and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jim Boeheim thinks you're nothing.

At least, that's what the Syracuse head coach expressed on Friday at the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo.

While the discussion wasn't focused on any players in particular and was instead a general discussion of underclassmen leaving early for the NBA, Boeheim was adamant that players don't properly evaluate their situations:

I think guys make those decisions based on where they are in the draft. This year there’s probably about 30 guys thinking they’re going to be in the Top 10 picks, so it’s crazy. More than 30 probably that think they’re going to be in the Top 10.
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I’m not going to be specific about anybody but my experience is guys look and if they see they fall where they’re favorable [they leave]…If you go 15th in the draft, you’re nothing. You might be out of the league in two years. It used to be a first-round draft pick you had a chance. That’s nothing. Those guys are out of the league. Half the guys taken in the first round the last three years are not even in the league.

You gotta be in the top seven, eight, 10 picks to make sure you’re going to be playing in the NBA.

Woah, woah, woah. Pump the brakes there, coach.

Half the guys taken in the first round the last three years are not even in the league?

No disrespect, but, what the hell? Take it away, Jonathan Givony:

Those numbers represent a pretty damning counter to Boeheim's argument. Disagree with early exits from the college rank if you will - and there are certainly strong arguments to be made - but being picked outside of the lottery hardly makes you "nothing."

There's also this: A rookie drafted 15th overall in this coming draft is guaranteed a minimum of $3.16 million, with a very likely three-year guarantee of $4.85 million (very few players have their third-year options declined). Even a player who goes 30th is guaranteed $1.86 million and has a potential three-year guarantee of $2.86 million.

You have to wonder if maybe Boeheim is sending a message to his own underclassmen here. Freshman point guard Tyler Ennis is considered a late-lottery pick and sophomore forward Jerami Grant is a likely first-round selection as well. It's hardly a surprise Boeheim wants to downplay the attractiveness of being a mid-round selection.