Daniel Hamilton said he never considered leaving Connecticut after his freshman season.
After his sophomore season?
Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant:Daniel Hamilton is leaving UConn, to take his chances with the NBA draft.
“I’m not testing the waters or anything like that,” Hamilton told The Courant on Tuesday afternoon. “I’m all in.”
Hamilton said he is still in the process of hiring an agent, but has decided he will.
Hamilton’s draft range is second round to undrafted. If he understands that and is just ready to earn market value for his basketball skills rather than the NCAA’s cartel-controlled figure, good for him. He sounds ready to move on.
The 6-foot-7 wing filled a major role for the Huskies, averaging 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. But he was too sloppy while shouldering so much responsibility. He shot inefficiently and turned the ball over too much.
I’m not sure how Hamilton would look in a lesser role with better teammates, because that’s so different from his role at Connecticut. That his spot-up jumper is shaky isn’t encouraging.
Nothing stands out more with Hamilton than his incredible rebounding for his position. Is that enough for Hamilton to carve out a role at the next level? Does it indicate athleticism and timing that could eventually translate to other skills? At some point in the second round, it might be worth finding out. But given that Hamilton will turn 21 before his first pro season, it’s not a lock he’ll be drafted.
