Sexton talks draft decision process, benefits of returning

Alabama freshman point guard Collin Sexton has yet to make his NBA Draft decision.

Or at least make it public.

The Crimson Tide’s star freshman was in New York on Friday at the GEICO Nationals game between Oak Hill (Va.) Academy and University (Fla.) School, but Sexton said he was in town to watch his girlfriend play. She’s a member of the team from Westlake, Ga.

In a brief interview with ESPN2, Sexton was jokingly asked if he was visiting as a prospective pick of the New York Knicks, a team that will be choosing in the lottery of this summer’s NBA Draft.

“Aw man, honestly whatever happens,” Sexton said.

The SEC Co-Freshman of the Year, however, once again brushed off questions about whether he will enter the 2018 draft or return to Alabama for his sophomore season. A projected lottery selection, it seems unlikely that Sexton will return to Tuscaloosa, Ala.

After Alabama’s second-round exit from the NCAA Tournament, Sexton was asked the same question. Instead of providing a definitive answer, he said he was going to celebrate the season with his teammates and focus on finishing with 4.0 grade-point average.

But in neither interview did he reveal his ultimate decision. Or rule out a possible return.

“It’s big, because talking to my family, you just have to weigh your options,” Sexton told ESPN2 of the decision process. “The good, the bad, you just have to think and make the right decision. It’s kind of like recruiting -- best fit and stuff like that.”

Following the SEC Tournament and prior to the NCAA Tournament, ESPN projected Sexton to be the first college guard off the board in the NBA Draft, chosen with the eighth overall selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers -- one spot ahead of Oklahoma’s Trae Young.

Leading the Crimson Tide to its first NCAA Tournament win since 2006, Sexton led UA with 17 points against No. 1-seed Villanova to end his historic freshman campaign with a season-high of 632 points. That point total surpassed Michael Ansley (1988-89) for third on the Tide’s single-season scoring list. Should he somehow return, he would add to that total.

But what would be the benefits of passing on becoming a top-10 draft choice?

“Learning more, becoming better and becoming an all-around player, whether that’s on offense or defense,” Sexton said. “And just like leading the team because freshman year, I had to come in and lead pretty fast. So, when you’re in your second year, you already know what’s going to happen.”

The early entry eligibility deadline is April 22, according to NBA.com, and players have until June 11 to withdraw their names from consideration. The 2018 draft is set for June 21.

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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