Can Jaron Blossomgame Pull a Buddy Hield and Win Over NBA Scouts as a Senior?

It’s not common for a college basketball senior to suddenly fly up NBA draft boards after three years of failing to win over scouts.

Buddy Hield did it in 2016. It clicked during his final audition at Oklahoma, where he raised his scoring average to 25 points per game (from 17.4) and emerged as the nation’s most dangerous three-point shooter.

He went earlier (No. 6) in a draft than any senior since Sheldon Williams (No. 5) out of Duke in 2006. 

The year before Hield, it was Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky who blew up his senior year. He followed Creighton’s Doug McDermott in 2014, Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum in 2013 and BYU’s Jimmer Fredette in 2011. There weren’t any seniors taken in the lottery in 2012 or 2010.

In 2017, no senior has a better shot than Clemson’s Jaron Blossomgame.

He’s coming off his second consecutive season showing significant improvement—a trend we’ve seen from previous breakout seniors.

“I feel I can come back and improve my stock tremendously with the opportunities I have here at Clemson,” Blossomgame said, per the Post and Courier’s Aaron Brenner.

Last May, he used the NCAA’s new draft-eligibility rule to work out and speak with teams before opting to return. Being able to attend the NBA Draft Combine and perform well—16 points and 10 rebounds during the Day 2 scrimmage—should only act as a confidence-booster.

Meanwhile, he was the one player to attend both the Nike Skills Academy and Adidas Nations in July.

Between his gradual rise, summer experiences and the fact that we’re talking about an explosive, 6’7 ½”, 218-pound wing, Blossomgame’s stock appears ready for takeoff. 

He already aces the eye test with textbook physical tools and exciting athleticism—usually half the battle for NBA hopefuls. 

Blossomgame projects as a two-way scorer at the 3 or even small-ball 4. His game is reminiscent of that of Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler in terms of style of play and skill set. 

The …

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