Notae Takes Calculated Risk With NBA Decision

Choice was best option from a list where everything was borderline no-win

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Apr 3, 2022 3:37 PM EDT
Original:
Apr 3, 2022

FAYETTEVILLE – Earlier today, JD Notae made it official that he signed with an agent and is hoping to work his way into this summer's NBA draft.

For Notae, it couldn't have been an easy decision as he was faced with nothing but borderline no-win options. However, the decision to go into the draft may have been the only one where he could truly have some level of control over the outcome.

For those who have been keeping up the last few weeks, Notae isn't projected to be drafted. Even when the field was narrowed down to only players on teams who made the NCAA tournament, he wasn't able to crack the list.

However, an impressive showing in key spots during the tournament bought him a little consideration. If he can work hard and show out at any opportunity he is given in front of NBA team officials, there's a chance he can slide into the very bottom of the draft, which would be a major win.

JD Notae-New Mexico State-NCAA — Gregory Fisher / USA TODAY Sports

But there's a lot of risk with not finding a way onto a team's draft board. Being relegated to the NBA's developmental league as an undrafted free agent means taking a pay cut from what he has reportedly made in NIL deals while at Arkansas.

It also means no platform from which to build his brand. He goes into basketball purgatory where players watch with jealousy as the occasional traveling circus draws 10 times more people in the same space.

His other option would be to go overseas, which could mean a solid paycheck. However, with instability created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and countries moving forces just across the border from this war, there's no guarantee that many of those overseas leagues will be a viable option in the coming months.

The safest option would have been to stay at Arkansas and continue collecting the NIL checks, but that would have only been a short-term solution. While Notae may have started the season as the man, the offense would have drifted to a much more evenly distributed game that would have taken the ball out of Notae's hands.

JD Notae-Kentucky — Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports

Notae works best when the offense runs through him, and the reduction of points simply from having more scorers around him and also from a less conducive offense would have potentially lowered the positive heat around his name for NBA teams.

While some fans may be sad because they were hoping for Notae and Jaylin Williams to lead the team on one final run while grooming the young pups coming in, it's the right call.

Sure, it would have been nice to see Notae hit that one last point to reach 2,000 for his career. However, there probably couldn't be a more fitting ending for Notae's tenure as a Razorback than fouling out late in a game against Duke as a casualty of the Mike Krzyzewski farewell tour.

The biggest reason Notae will be missed is the same reason Mason Jones was missed. They were both blue collar guys who had to work beyond their talent to overcome the odds.

Notae worked his way in as a lethal sixth man and had to kill himself to claim that role. Then he ran himself into the ground tirelessly, working especially hard on defense so he could become the man.

The story was told over and over throughout the season about how Notae wanted to keep it real on his recruiting trip by passing on the steak to sit down with his coach in a sandwich shop and talk basketball. While he took a few too many threes on nights where the shot wasn't there, he made up for it with relentless play in every other aspect of the game, and hard working people recognize and respect a fellow hard worker.

It's this hard work ethic and focus on what really matters that gives Notae at least a puncher's chance as he bets on himself and takes this latest risk of entering the draft.

And as Notae has proven so many times, all he needs is a chance. His work ethic and determination will take care of the rest.