Roundtable: Davion Mintz's Status
Davion Mintz has made an announcement but it might not be the last one he'll make.
The senior Kentucky guard will enter his name into the draft process without hiring an agent. Mintz has noted his desire to become a professional player but could decide to return to Kentucky after the feedback process has run its course.
So what does that mean for how we should think about his place in the program? Is it more or less likely than yesterday that he might return?
Cats Illustrated staff writers share opinions on what Mintz's words mean.
David Sisk: In my opinion we are at the same place now we were yesterday. This still doesn’t give us any clarification of what he is going to do. If there were any chance of going in the first two rounds then we have a story. This is not the case. He’ll get the feedback that the NBA is not an option and then we’ll see what happens from there. Does he play internationally or does he return to college for yet another season? The timing is bad for Kentucky fans though fresh off a decommitment from Nolan Hickman. John Calipari is currently between a rock and a hard place at the point guard position. If Mintz is an answer, don’t expect one soon. I can see him still remaining in limbo well into June and perhaps July.
Jeff Drummond: I think Davion Mintz is making the wise move to explore all of his options and find out where he stands with NBA organizations. My hunch is that he'll receive feedback that advises a return to UK for one more year to hone his skills, but we have to remember that he's been on the college grind for quite some time now. He may just be ready to move on with his life, whether that means playing in the NBA, the G League, or overseas. The scary part for Big Blue Nation is looking at a roster that doesn't have a single point guard at this time. Granted, the wheels are spinning on the transfer portal, and the Cats will surely wind up with a couple of guys who can play, but it's an unusual position for a program of this magnitude to find itself. I don't think it helps the anxiety level of the fan base right now.
Travis Graf: Davion Mintz’s decision to test the NBA waters is what every college player should do under the current rules. To be quite frank, Mintz isn’t going to be an NBA player in my opinion — please prove me wrong, Davion! — so it really comes down to if he wants to start making money overseas now or if he wants to make another run at the collegiate level. A lot of Kentucky fans scoff at the term “overseas” because of the amount of players that have come through Lexington that are now in the NBA, but it’s very possible to make some impressive — sometimes untaxed — money overseas. It’s a big decision for the young adult and, considering he will most likely never be an NBA Draft pick regardless of what he does, he could just decide to go ahead and get to the money now.