Skipping the combine means Jarred Vanderbilt will be back, right?

Jarred Vanderbilt will skip the NBA Draft Combine. Does that signify a return to the Wildcats? Not exactly, but it doesn’t bode well for his draft stock.

Jarred Vanderbilt will not participate in the NBA Draft Combine. So, what’s next for the former 5-star recruit who played only 14 games last season? Is skipping the combine a sure-fire sign that the sophomore-to-be is coming back to Lexington? Maybe, put let’s pump the brakes a bit.

Vanderbilt declared for the 2018 NBA Draft on April 20th. He has not signed an agent which leaves open the possibility for Vanderbilt to come back to the Cats for his sophomore season. Most NBA scouts and insiders have Vanderbilt going in the second round or going undrafted all together.

Jarred Vanderbilt is doing himself no favors by skipping the combine. Last season, of the 50 college players drafted, only 2 of them did not participate in the NBA Combine. Sterling Brown, selected 46th by Philadelphia, and Jabari Bird, the 56th pick by the Celtics, were the only players who didn’t participate in the 2017 NBA Combine.

Vanderbilt stated via Twitter that he’s still weighing his options. What options are there left to weigh?

The good and bad surrounding Vanderbilt’s game

The biggest question mark surrounding Jarred Vanderbilt is his health. Can he stay healthy? Vanderbilt had a history of injury before coming to UK. He started the season unavailable to play due to a foot injury. Then, he closed the season unable to play because of an injured ankle.

When Vanderbilt was on the floor, he showed the skills that NBA scouts want to see. After a slow start, Jarred shook off the rust and showed his potential.

Vanderbilt can be a dominant force on the boards. In his 14 games last season, Vanderbilt averaged 7.9 rebounds per game. He snagged double-digit rebounds in 5 games, including a career-high 15 against Missouri.

Vanderbilt is also a skilled and willing passer. He has the ability to play as a point-forward, similar to LeBron James and Ben Simmons, at the next level. No, I’m not comparing him to the NBA’s best player, I’m just illustrated his ability to help be a facilitate on offense.

One of Vanderbilt’s most obvious flaws is his shooting. While 42.6% is solid, it must be stated that outside of the paint, Vanderbilt really struggles to score consistently. A lot of his buckets came on offensive putbacks.

There’s no telling what Vanderbilt will ultimately decide to do regarding his NBA future. Another year at Kentucky, provided his healthy, will do nothing but improve his draft stock. In fact, given UK’s lack of quality depth in the frontcourt, a healthy 2018-19 season for Vanderbilt could put him in the conversation for a 2019 lottery selection.