NC State Sophomore Center Omer Yurtseven met with head coach Kevin Keatts yesterday to discuss his future. In other words, he met to talk about whether he would/should return for his Junior season in Raleigh, or head to the NBA Draft.
This season, Yurtseven earned All-ACC Third Team honors, averaging 13.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game, while shooting 57.2% from the field, and an audacious 50% from three (22 of 44).
When Yurtseven came to Raleigh, he was expected by many to be a first-round pick after his freshman season, if not a lottery pick. After struggling as a Freshman, he decided to test the NBA Draft Process without an agent, and even attended the NBA Combine. Ultimately, Yurtseven decided to return to NC State for his Sophomore season.
Around midseason, we were hearing from a source that the chances of Yurtseven returning were slim-to-none. With that being said, Omer played his best basketball early in the year, regressing a little bit deeper into the season.
After yesterday’s meeting, from what I’m hearing, nothing has changed. The odds of Yurtseven returning for his Junior season are slim-to-none.
Now let me be clear, this isn’t a guarantee that he will leave, but from our source close to the program, that is the impression that Yurtseven has given the coaches.
This isn’t a guarantee that Omer will not return. This also isn’t a guarantee that he will sign with an agent. It’s nearly 100% guarantee that he will test the NBA waters like he did last year.
For what it’s worth, from what I can tell, Yurtseven isn’t predicted to go much higher in current mock drafts than he was last year (late first round/early second round). He added a three-point shot to his game this year, and showed strengths of using both hands in the post. With that being said, he didn’t improve that much on defense in rebounding in my opinion.
Don’t expect Yurtseven to be in Raleigh again next season. If he returns, it will be a welcome surprise.
So, how many times can a player “test” the waters?
I would hope that he has been upfront and honest concerning his intentions with Coach Keatts. Whether or not a scholarship will be available while there are still potential recruits is essential in planning for the future.