Could NC State Commit Jalen Lecque Go Straight to the NBA?

On Tuesday, NC State picked up one of their biggest commitments in school history in 5-Star Point Guard Jalen Lecque.

At one point, Lecque was wrestling with whether or not he would reclassify to the 2018 class, but he decided to remain in the 2019 class to become more accustomed to the point guard position.

Lecque ultimately decided to remain in the 2019 class, and enroll as a post-graduate student at Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, New Hampshire). At the end of the 2019 school year, he will technically be 1-year removed from his high school graduation, making him eligible for the 2019 NBA Draft.

Here’s what Lecque had to say about the possibility of declaring for the 2019 NBA Draft to Rivals this summer:

“It is a good idea,” he said. “I have to talk it over with my parents and just get bigger physically and just fill out. If I feel like I am good enough next year and my body gets bigger and stronger, and I get better at the point guard position, you just never know.” (Rivals)

Currently, NBADraft.net doesn’t have him projected as a draft pick in 2019, but does have him going 16th overall in the 2020 draft after one year of college ball.

Lecque has had his critics, and their criticism isn’t completely without merit. If you want to play at the next level, you have to be able to shoot the ball, and no recruiting analyst would say Lecque is a particularly strong shooter at this point, struggling with his jumper much of the summer.

He is aware it is a area he needs to improve upon.

There is always the chance that Lecque could become a lights out shooter at Brewster this year, and declare for the 2019 NBA Draft, but I envision him benefitting from at least one year of college basketball. Lecque doesn’t simply need to grow as a shooter. He also needs to continue to develop as a point guard, a position he has only played for one season at this point.