The 6-foot-6 Australian guard Tyrese Proctor officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, Duke announced Friday night. A head coach, Jon Scheyer’s first recruiting class member, Proctor, wrapped up his college career with over 1,100 points across three seasons. He played a key role in Duke’s two ACC Tournament titles, an Elite Eight run, and a Final Four appearance.
As a junior, he posted averages of 12.4 points, three rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, marking his most consistent campaign. Proctor also shot a career-high 40.5% from beyond the arc, drilling multiple 3-pointers in 22 of 38 games, including 13 triples during the first two NCAA Tournament contests.
Analysts Split on Tyrese Proctor’s NBA Leap After Duke Success
Tyrese Proctor’s decision to forgo his final season at Duke and declare for the 2025 NBA Draft has ignited considerable debate among college basketball analysts. On CBS Sports’ College Basketball YouTube channel, Garry Parrish and Matt Norlander dissected Proctor’s choice, expressing understanding and skepticism.
Parrish noted that Proctor seems committed to the professional path, saying,
“All indications are that he’s in with both feet, not returning to Duke.” Although Proctor’s name had surfaced frequently in draft discussions, Parrish admitted, “It’s not obvious to me that this is the smartest decision he could make.”
He highlighted concerns about Proctor’s draft position, suggesting,
“He is probably not going to be picked in the first round…you could go 34th or 53rd and then those aren’t guaranteed contracts.”
Despite those risks, Parrish acknowledged that Proctor would likely secure some form of guaranteed money, explaining,
“All NBA franchises are looking for cheap labor now.”
Still, the financial comparison between a second-round NBA salary and lucrative NIL deals in college raised essential questions. Parrish referenced recent developments in college basketball’s economy, stating,
“Are we 100% sure he can make more money professionally next season than he could have made playing college basketball, given that we live in a world where Robert Wright got $2 million?”
Norlander added depth to the conversation, noting that Proctor had fulfilled the expectations set by Duke’s staff after the program’s Elite Eight loss to NC State.
“It was a very direct, blunt in a very healthy way conversation with Proctor of like you’re not ready, here’s what we need, here’s what you got to do,” Norlander recalled.
He credited Proctor’s improvements, particularly his 40.5% shooting from three-point range, while also recognizing that returning another year might have yielded better opportunities.
Playing devil’s advocate, Norlander suggested that some players sense the diminishing returns of staying longer in college, saying:
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“If I’m close enough, I am willing to go to the league next season…I might find myself in a spot where I’m not on the roster the entire season, spending half the season in the G-League.”
As Proctor embarks on his professional journey, the debate over the timing of his decision lingers.
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