VOD Not Available
This video is not available.
NC State C Omer Yurtseven To Declare For NBA Draft, Not Sign With Agent
NC State center Omer Yurtseven will declare for the 2017 NBA Draft, but he will not sign with an agent. That means he can still be eligible to return to the Wolfack in 2017-18.
March 14, 2017
NC State center Omer Yurtseven will declare for the 2017 NBA Draft, but he will not sign with an agent. That means he can still be eligible to return to the Wolfack in 2017-18.
NC State had a very disappointing 2016-17 college basketball season, as Mark Gottfried was informed that he would be let go at the end of the year all while the Wolfpack fell out of NCAA Tournament discussion.
The Wolfpack wasted a spectacular season from star freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who is expected to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft. Not only will the ‘Pack have to replace the dynamic play of Smith, but there’s a chance that the new head coach will be trying to help the team bounce back from a 15-17 campaign without center Omer Yurtseven as well.
According to Scout, Yurtseven will declare for the NBA Draft but not sign with an agent, so he will leave open the possibility of returning to Raleigh. It’s a process that college players can go through in order to find out where they stand among league executives.
“I want to test the waters and try to make my dream, which is going to the NBA, but I also want to remain eligible to continue to school because my classes and education off the court is important for me too,” Yurtseven said.
The former five-star recruit averaged 5.9 points and 4.4 rebounds for the Wolfpack in 22 games during the 2016-17 season. He was unable to play in the team’s first nine games due to eligibility issues dating to his time playing for Fenerbahçe in Turkey. Yurtseven ultimately turned down a pro contract with the team to play college ball. And it appears that Yurtseven has no immediate plans to head back to Turkey to play professionally.
When he arrived in Raleigh, Yurtseven was considered a likely first-round pick whenever he decided to test the pro waters. But he has not been talked about as a first-rounder in many scouting circles since, so it may be best for Yurtseven to ultimately decide to go back to school for his sophomore year to further develop his game in the States.
Yurtseven averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while playing for Turkey in the 2016 u20 European Championship, which helped raise his profile as a pro prospect.
MORE: With Job On The Line, Bruce Weber Guided Kansas State Back To NCAA Tournament
