NBA Draft Analysts Have Differing Opinions on Jaxson Robinson’s Stay-Go Decision

BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson is tasked with a very difficult decision over the coming weeks. Will he stay in the NBA Draft or return to college and potentially play for his former coach Mark Pope at Kentucky?

The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is one week away on May 29 and Robinson is currently projected as a second-round pick. As a decision looms, NBA Draft analysts are split in terms of whether or not Robinson should stay or go.

KSR+ talked to two NBA Draft experts to get their takes on Robinson’s game and his upcoming decision. Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated and Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports each attended the NBA Draft Combine and had different perspectives on Robinson’s choice.

Krysten Peek – Yahoo Sports

Krysten Peek believes Jaxson Robinson did himself a lot of favors at the NBA Combine this past week. However, it might not be enough to stay in the draft.

“I think he should go back – that’s just my opinion – especially when you’re looking at a two-way at best in the back half of the second round for Jaxson,” Peek said. “He can only help himself if he goes back to school.”

Peek said she was “pleasantly surprised with Jaxson” during the week. She pointed to the playmaking and shot selection he showed.

“His shot selection was much better,” Peek said. “It looks like he’s really honed in on the mechanics, in terms of his footwork, squaring his shoulders, and having that high release. That was the one thing that stood out to me.”

However, at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, Robinson is a bit undersized for his position. It also doesn’t help that he’s already 21 years old.

“Because of that, you’re not looking at an upside guy,” Peek said. “You’re going to need him to come in right away if you’re going to invest in a player like him.”

Kevin Sweeney – Sports Illustrated

While Krysten Peek thinks Jaxson Robinson should return to college, Kevin Sweeney offers a different view. He said the buzz around the combine was that Robinson was “leaning” towards staying in the draft.

“The decision is still having to be made and the feedback from the combine, in many cases, is the most important thing,” Sweeney said. “I thought he played well enough to give himself a chance to stay in the draft.”

Sweeney said that shooting is Robinson’s main skill set. Compared to some of the other players in the draft known for their shooting, Robinson looked “a little bit deficient in the other areas.”

“I felt like the other guys did a little bit more defensively, a little bit more with the ball in their hands, and a little bit more on the glass,” Sweeney said. “He’s very much a shoot-first, shoot-second, and shoot-third guy, but he’s a good shooter. He can shoot off movement and he has great size and length. He’s a great kid to talk to and has a very engaging personality.”

Sweeney said that landing Robinson would be crucial for Mark Pope in year one at Kentucky. A key aspect of that is his familiarity with the offense.

“The challenge ahead for Mark Pope and getting all these guys to learn a relatively complicated style of offense is probably being overlooked,” Sweeney said. “There are a lot of reads, a lot of cutting, and a lot of movement. Jaxson, having that experience, is very helpful.”

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