Bullock enters NBA Draft
Friar won’t sign with agent; return very likely
PROVIDENCE – If you’re Rodney Bullock, why not take full advantage of the NBA’s “test the waters” protocol and do it in an agent-free fashion that still enables you to take advantage of your remaining eligibility at Providence College?
One way to spin Wednesday’s news concerning Bullock – first reported by ESPN and later confirmed by a school source – is that he has nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain. If a NBA executive/front office type tells the junior forward that he’s not pro material right now and specifically points to why that’s the case, perhaps that will provide him with a firm purpose of how to spend the offseason.
Realistically, the odds of Bullock hearing his name called at June’s NBA Draft are slim. You won’t find his name appearing in any of the number of mock drafts available for dissection and perusal.
If former college teammate Ben Bentil was selected in last year’s second round despite owning some credentials that on paper are far more impressive than the ones Bullock has amassed to date, it figures to be only a matter of time before order is restored and Bullock is firmly back in Providence’s fold for the 2017-18 season.
Bullock is on track to graduate from PC this spring, which could help explain why he’s putting NBA feelers out there. He has until May 24 to decide whether to keep pursuing a NBA dream with the assistance of an agent or return to the Friars.
Bullock is coming off a season where he was named to the Big East’s second team. He led the Friars in scoring (15.7 points per game) and rebounding (6.4). His overall shooting percentage and three-point field goal percentage dipped between his sophomore and junior seasons, while his turnovers per game went up over during the same span.
The NBA/NCAA rule that was tailor-made for college underclassmen who wish to get feedback allows prospects like Bullock to go on one 48-hour tryout per NBA team. Of course, they must first receive an invitation. The inviting NBAfranchise, not the college, pays for everything.