Condon's announcement to the NBA Draft

It used to be that you had to show a hardship to declare for the draft out of college before your eligibility was up.

Then the hardship part was waived but if you did declare your eligibility ended.

Then you could declare and keep your eligibility if you didn't hire an agent.

With NIL all the guys even thinking about an NBA career must have agents so that must be gone now.

Maybe not a joke but originally intended as one the next step is if they get drafted to a team they don't like or a lower than expected slot they can come back.

 

Is he gone for good or can he return?

 

He can return if he wants to do so.

 

He's just testing the waters.
I know this opinion is not popular here, but he is not NBA material yet. I'm sure he can play in the developmental league, but I think it is not as good à competition as you have in college. One reason is everybody in there is trying to get in NBA. I have never watched it, but I would think most players on that league plays selfishly and for good reason.
IMHO, he will develop better under CTG/CTG's staff because they care for him and they want him to succeed.

 

I am curious to know how folks would compare him to Colin Castleton.

 

I would say fairly similar, and Castleton has barely sniffed an NBA court. That's of course a sophomore Condo vs a senior Castleton. The difference is Condo can hit the 3, is a great passer, but Colln was more polished around the rim.

I agree he definitely needs another year to work on his post game (misses far too many bunnies, great footwork though), improve his outside shot and add 10+ pounds of muscle. That said, if he's projected in the 1st round he's likely to go. He absolutely does not want to be on a 2-way contract, not when he can come back and make decent money at UF and play with his brothers. But if he's 1st round that is tempting as hell to pass up.

 

Improving the FT% wouldn't hurt either.

 

He’ll be back.

 

I hope he comes back.

 

I’d be very surprised if he didn’t return.

 

All he's gotta do is watch some clips of Xaivian dishing out dimes on the pick and roll and he'll definitely be back

 

Seems like a smart move. If he gets a high score he can go to the NBA and he can play another year under NIL if they think he needs more time. I hope he comes back though.

 

Let's match what he would have gotten based upon his projected rank in the draft. So if he if he stood to make 2 million. Pay him 200K his junior year and 200K a year thereafter for 9 years with a provision that if his stock increases by staying another year we will accelerate the payments to 2 years but reduce the total amount to 600K.

 

Nothing wrong with testing the waters.

 

Condon must decide by May 28. If he should shock Gator Nation and remain in the draft, I imagine we have left enough NIL money for Condon or a late replacement.

2025 college basketball offseason: Key dates, deadlines to know

 

Most projections I've seen have him as a late first round pick. Pre-NIL I'd say he would be all but gone if his pre-draft workouts confirm a first round status. Now? He can make a good chunk of change coming back so I suspect he will and hope to improve his draft stock a bit.

 

I think pre-tournament he would have gone first round. Lucky for us (now in hindsight) he didn’t have the best tournament, probably dropped his stock a bit. Meanwhile, Haugh’s stock got a huge boost.

if both come back they better light it up next year. It’s potential and perception vs reality, the longer they stay in college and don’t dramatically improve, the less value their draft stock will have

 

I agree he is not ready for the NBA, but if a team assures him he will get picked in the first round, then he will go because he is guaranteed money for the next four years ($10-15 mil). The waters are very muddy for international players and NIL. Student visas do not permit international athletes to be employed. I did not know this until recently. I figured we could pay him $1 mil and he would come back with his buddy Haugh and make himself a lottery pick.

What are the ways around getting penalized for accepting money? My guess is that there are some creative ways to pay international athletes. Great article explaining this hardship for international players.

 

Name, Image, and Likeness: International Student-Athletes | General Counsel