Kansas center Joel Embiid hasn't ruled out declaring for the 2014 NBA draft. Teammate Andrew Wiggins is expected to declare for the draft, although his draft stock may have taken a hit with his lackluster performance against Stanford. Duke star Jabari Parker, meanwhile, appears more likely to play another year in college.
Embiid, the 7-footer whom some predict could be the No. 1 pick, is still deciding about his future at Kansas. Despite a back injury having sidelined him since the end of the regular, Embiid hasn't ruled out declaring for the NBA draft.
"...Embiid told ESPN that he will talk to the Jayhawks coaching staff and also his mentor, fellow Cameroon native and NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, before making a final decision concerning his NBA future," ESPN's Jeff Goodman wrote on Sunday. "Embiid said he's not yet thinking about the decision just moments after watching the Jayhawks get knocked out of the NCAA tournament with a loss to Stanford in the round of 32."
Wiggins is still expected to declare for the draft, but his poor performance on Sunday could hurt his chances of being the No. 1 pick. After strong performances in the conference tournament and the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, Stanford held Wiggins to four points on 1-of-6 shooting and forced him to commit four turnovers.
"I let a lot of people down," Wiggins said after the 60-57 loss, via Fox Sports. "If I would have played better, we wouldn't be in this situation, you know? I blame myself for this."
Parker's performance in Duke's second-round loss to Mercer didn't help his stock, either. The freshman recorded 14 points, seven rebounds and four turnovers in the 78-71 upset, and it's still uncertain if he even plans to declare for the upcoming draft.
A report in January indicated Parker is leaning toward staying at Duke for at least one more season, where he'll be joined by incoming freshman and top prospect Jahlil Okafor. With Duke also having commitments from Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow, the allure of returning to an improved Duke squad may be enough to convince Parker to forego the 2014 draft and try for another NCAA championship -- especially after this season's early exit.
