Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas is withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to school for his junior season.
In a statement on Instagram on Wednesday night, Abmas called the draft process "a great learning experience" but said he ultimately decided to return to school.
"ORU, I'm blessed to have the opportunity to run it back with my team in front of the best fans in the country!" he wrote.
Abmas, the No. 48 prospect in the ESPN 100 NBA draft rankings, was named Summit League Player of the Year after leading NCAA's Division I in scoring at 24.5 points per game as a 19-year-old sophomore. Abmas posted 80 points in three NCAA tournament games against Ohio State, Florida and Arkansas to lead Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16, elevating his standing significantly in the eyes of NBA talent evaluators.
Abmas did not have a great showing at the NBA combine in Chicago, posting just 12 points and 3 assists while shooting 3-for-18 from the field in 46 minutes of action, which was likely a factor in his decision to return to Oral Roberts. He'll likely be a priority prospect for NBA decision-makers to evaluate next season as the scouting calendar returns to normal.
Oral Roberts is slated to host Oklahoma State next season and play an away game against TCU, giving Abmas opportunities to showcase himself against Big 12 competition.
Despite lacking size, measuring under 6 feet at the combine, Abmas has an intriguing combination of shot-making, quickness, feel for the game and unflappable demeanor. Making nearly four 3-pointers per game while converting 43% of his attempts, Abmas' ability to pull up off the dribble immediately upon crossing half court made him one of the most entertaining and difficult players to defend in the college game.
After playing mostly off the ball as a freshman, Abmas successfully transitioned to the point guard position as a sophomore, showing polished ballhandling ability with outstanding court vision and creativity changing speeds out of pick-and-rolls, drawing some comparisons to Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young with his style of play.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA Draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.
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July 08, 2021 at 08:41AM
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After impressive NCAA men's basketball tournament, Max Abmas backs out of NBA draft, will stay at Oral Roberts - ESPN
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