Duke Star Wendell Carter Jr.'s Parents Disagree About NBA Draft Decision
Duke is set to bring in one of the most heralded recruiting classes in history next year. The Blue Devils add the top three players in the class of 2018, and a fourth five-star ranked in the top 10. A former five-star coming off of a strong freshman season is still weighing things as well. Duke still awaits the Wendell Carter NBA Draft decision.
Carter Jr. was largely a second-option for Duke this year. However, he definitely has potential to be a high NBA Draft pick this year. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2017-18. Still, it is no guarantee that he goes.
The Wendell Carter NBA Draft Decision was supposed to come Wednesday, but he delayed the announcement.
William C. Rhoden of The Undefeated spoke to Carter's parents. Their thoughts on the decision show why this isn't so obvious for him.
At first, his mother supported him heading to the NBA. After thinking more about what another year at Duke would do for him, she changed her mind.
A couple of weeks ago over lunch in Omaha, Nebraska, Kylia Carter so compellingly laid out the reasons for her son leaving after one season that I felt foolish for thinking there was actually a chance he might return to Duke. A week later, she told her son that she had reconsidered her position.
“After the season happened, and I started thinking about it. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. If you came back, it would only make you a better person,’ ” she said. “It would improve your quality of life. It would improve your relationships. It would be about you. It wouldn’t be about basketball. So this is really something to think about.
His father is on the complete opposite side. He thinks that Carter should take the chance when he has it, and not risk injury or something else hurting his draft stock.
While his wife says that another year in college would make her son a better leader, Wendell Sr. argues that with three new hotshot recruits coming to Duke next season, there is no telling what role Wendell Jr. will be asked to play.
“Why come back?” he said. “There are no guarantees.
“Go ahead and go get on-the-job training,” he added, referring to the NBA. “He’ll be a top-10 pick. Go.”
In most cases, prospects like Wendell Carter Jr. make the jump. However, he did once have Harvard as a finalist (along with the Blue Devils) in his recruitment. Marvin Bagley III and Gary Trent Jr. are already on their way to the pros, but it wouldn't be quite so shocking if Carter returns for a title run. Either way, we'll know the final Wendell Carter NBA Draft decision soon.
