On Friday, Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs saw its second player declare for the 2020 NBA Draft. Star freshman Anthony Edwards declared earlier this month, and junior Rayshaun Hammonds has now joined him.
There is a necessary distinction to be made between the two:
Edwards has hired an agent and thus has no remaining NCAA eligibility (not that he needs it).
Hammonds hasn’t enlisted representation and is free to receive draft feedback from NBA scouts and coaches while leaving open the possibility of returning for what would be his senior season at Georgia.
Should Hammonds receive feedback that he deems less than ideal, he’s free to return to Athens this summer as if he never declared for the draft to begin with.
The 6’9″ forward out of Norcross has been a major contributor for the Dawgs even since his freshman season; he’s averaged north of 24 minutes of play per game since arriving at the University of Georgia.
In his shortened junior season, he posted career highs in points per game (12.9) and rebounds per game (7.4) and finished the year with a 22-point 11-rebound performance in the only game played in the SEC tournament prior to its cancellation.
The current deadline for a final decision is June 15th at 5:00, ten days before the 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled to begin in Brooklyn, New York.
