Bigger Dreams, Bigger Paychecks

In the only major sport where high school phenoms routinely forgo college diplomas for lucrative rookie contracts, it’s become common practice for college basketball’s most talented underclassmen to abandon their humble programs in pursuit of NBA glory. Unpolished gems like Pitt’s DeJuan Blair—a man-child equipped with pro-style physicality—will test the market in this year’s NBA draft, leaving behind gaping holes in their school’s roster. Rivals.com predicts which college teams will suffer most from the impending wave of premature departures; which prospects have the tools to succeed at the next level, and which would benefit from some additional undergraduate development.