Guaranteed money is hard to pass up, and for a 20-year-old college kid, a promise of fame and fortune seems incredibly tempting when compared to his current student status.
Yet for his own sake, PJ Dozier needs to ignore the incredibly tempting decision to enter himself into the 2017 NBA draft.
Many have begun to project Dozier’s status for the upcoming draft. Throughout the season, rumors have been circulating about where Dozier could land. After his hot stretch at the start of the season, whispers could be heard saying he was a late first-round prospect. Recently, though, those rumors have quieted slightly.
Chad Ford, the leading NBA Draft analyst for ESPN, currently has Dozier listed as a late second-round pick. He has Dozier ranked as the 57th best draft prospect, and the ninth best point guard.
This ranking, though early in the grand scheme of draft projections, makes one point clear: Dozier is not an elite player.
He is not one of college basketball’s best point guards this season, nor is he consistently one of the best players at the collegiate level.
Yet.
Dozier has shown flashes of being an elite player. During a nine-game stretch this season, in which his teammate Sindarius Thornwell was suspended for six of the games, Dozier recorded double-digit scoring in each game. During that nine-game stretch, Dozier had five straight games where he scored at least 20 points.
Many of these great performances by Dozier came in the absence of Thornwell. It is no coincidence that this happened, and it is no coincidence that South Carolina lost half of the games without Thornwell, even as Dozier seemingly scored at will.
This South Carolina team is Thornwell’s, and for the time being Dozier is just his sidekick. Because of this, Dozier has been unable to fully showcase his ability to score, lead and be the elite player that he is.
For the good of his team, Dozier has taken a backseat to Thornwell and has thus not seen the national attention that a player of his caliber deserves.
But next year will be different. Next year, this Gamecock team will be Dozier’s. The team will go as he does — on nights when he is off, they will be off and on nights when he is great, they will be great.
Dozier’s year to truly impress NBA scouts has not quite arrived. And it is only in his best interest to be patient, and wait one more year to declare for the NBA draft.