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St. Louisan Jayson Tatum Entering 2017 NBA Draft

By Patrick Karraker

Mar 19, 2017; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2017; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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A St. Louis native has a great chance to be the first selection in the 2017 NBA Draft.

St. Louis has been a hotbed for early NBA Draft selections over the past decade. Darius Miles, Bradley Beal, and Ben McLemore are among the St. Louis natives who have been top 10 picks in the draft since 2000. It looks as if another St. Louis product will join that group this year, as Duke freshman Jayson Tatum declared his plans to enter the draft on Wednesday.

The Blue Devils’ official Twitter account announced Tatum’s plans with a rather succinct message on Wednesday afternoon:

Tatum, who seriously considered Saint Louis University before ultimately deciding to play at Duke, was a dominant force at Chaminade College Prep from 2012-16. He averaged 29.6 points per game during his senior season while leading the Red Devils to the state championship game.

He’s just one of a few players who have passed through Chaminade’s powerhouse program on their way to the NBA; 12-year NBA vet David Lee played there from 1997-2001, while Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal played at CCP from 2007-11.

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Tatum seems to have a pretty solid chance at being the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. He’s ranked fourth among this year’s draft prospects by CBS Sports and Draft Express, and with an impressive pre-draft showing and the right team picking first, he could definitely elevate his stock a bit more over the next three months.

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