BREAKING: Lance Stephenson to enter the NBA Draft

Born Ready is ready for the league.

After initially saying that he would remain at Cincinnati for one more season, SNY is now reporting that Lance Stephenson has decided to put his name into the NBA Draft.

"I have decided to withdraw from the University of Cincinnati and enter my name into this year’s NBA draft," Stephenson said. "After carefully reviewing my options, it is now clear to me that the need to emotionally and financially support my family, especially my young daughter, along with my long-standing and burning passion to play in the NBA, outweighs my desire to return to the University of Cincinnati."

Lance Stephenson will be getting paid next year.
(photo credit: B/R)

This really should come as no surprise to anyone, as Stephenson was considered a one-and-done player since his high school days.

The question now becomes where does Stephenson end up getting drafted.

Most project him to go anywhere from the late first round to the second round. There are a lot of question marks regarding Stephenson. Is he a good enough shooter to play the two in the NBA? Does he have the handle? Is his decision making ability up to par? There are still lingering questions about his character.

Perhaps the biggest knock on Stephenson was that he didn't quite understand when to attack and when to play a role on Cincinnati last year. The Bearcats were a bit of a disappointment this season, as many believed that Cinci had enough talent to compete among the elite in the Big East. An underwhelming season from Stephenson was a big reason for that.

I haven't seen whether or not Stephenson is going to sign with an agent, but based on the reports, it seems likely he is in the draft for good. Stephenson is signing with an agent.