ESPN Men's Basketball

"The league." Two words that permeate through just about every college basketball team's locker room across the country, that have infected the thoughts of countless players, parents and handlers with unrealistic expectations.

There are more dreams and aspirations across the country than can possibly be rewarded by the NBA draft. The magic number is 30. Three-zero. That is how many guaranteed contracts are available. Period. Forget the second round. If you're not a lock for the first round, you're better off going back to school and improving your stock, or at least getting back into the second round the following year.

There are always some "guarantees" available to underclassmen who declare for the draft, made by a team that likes them and promises to select them. But even such a "guarantee" doesn't guarantee you that much. JamesOn Curry left Oklahoma State two years ago after his junior season. He had one team that liked him, the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls had two second round picks and promised to select Curry with one of them and give him a guaranteed year in the league.

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