Gafford’s decision not easiest for some to digest

It didn’t take long after Daniel Gafford announced he was coming back to Arkansas for some to start shaking their heads.

Sports radio talk show hosts on the air when the news broke shortly after 4 p.m. Monday were, for lack of a better word, stunned.

The younger they are the more they seem to be stunned. Us old-timers at least can see some common-sense logic that made Gafford’s decision not as suprising as some might think.

By returning for at least another year, Gafford could be making the eventual NBA payday that much larger. As quickly as he made the announcement, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if he hadn’t talked with one of the people he looks up to — former Razorback Bobby Portis.

Portis came back for his sophomore year, then came out getting drafted No. 22 by the Chicago Bulls. Memory fails to recall how much he improved his draft position by staying for his sophomore year.

All that’s ancient history, which is how short memories are in sports these days.

Gafford had a legitimate shot at being Arkansas’ first one-and-done, according to most of the so-called experts. For whatever reason, he decided really quickly to not take that option and come back for at least one more year.

The guess here is it was one of Mike Anderson’s best recruiting jobs.

“Daniel is a special player and the sky is the limit for him,” Anderson said after the announcement was made and you can bet it didn’t catch him by surprise.

I say one more year because, if you remember, Portis reportedly considered coming back for another year before he declared for the NBA draft.

Many in the Arkansas media had pretty much talked themselves into Gafford’s going to the NBA after one year. That was the general feeling among many in the national media, too, which really is guessing like nearly everybody else.

“Fayetteville, Arkansas, is where it’s at,” Gafford said in a tweet that made the surprising announcement Monday afternoon.

It was surprising because he had until April 10 to declare, according to the NCAA website:

“This year, men’s basketball student-athletes wishing to retain their eligibility must withdraw from the NBA draft by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 10. This applies only to underclassmen who already have declared for the draft.”

So why announce now?

Asking a couple of people that know more than me about it, their first answer is the competition of draft-eligible big men in 2019 is going to be smaller than 2018. That makes as much sense as anything.

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As usual with these things, follow the money. The higher you get drafted the more money you’re guaranteed. The NBA guarantees virtually every contract and rookies have the first two years guaranteed … whether they’re worth it or not.

As an aside, the NFL hadn’t guaranteed a contract since Dan Marino until Kirk Cousins managed to squeeze one out of the Minnesota Vikings last month.

Gafford made a business decision, pure and simple.

Or did he?

With insurance policies out there to guard against injury, it is logical to consider he has one. It’s doubtful he made the decision without that policy and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But the limited time around Gafford, he appears to enjoy being a Razorback … maybe as much as anybody has in recent years. That may be part of it, but the simple guess is he could be a much higher draft pick coming back for at least another year.

Now some will note that I keep saying “at least for another year.” To this day I’m still amazed that Peyton and Eli Manning each came back for their final year of eligibility in football because, well, they loved playing at the college game.

While I don’t think that’s the case with Gafford, there’s still some wiggle room there that it may have played some role in the decision.

And, to some old-timers, that actually makes as much sense as anything else.

In reality, it could add about a million dollars a year to what he makes, according to some folks I talked with Monday evening.

He will be a star in Arkansas next season. That much is for certain. You wonder when someone in that position will realize just how big they could be coming back for a third year.

Someone in that position coming back for a fourth year? While it’s doubtful that will ever happen in basketball, if somebody as good as Gafford could develop to be stays four years he will, literally, likely be the biggest name in Razorback basketball … ever.

Like I said, it probably will never happen.

Of course I listened to media folks tell me for the last two months Gafford was gone to the NBA.

Gafford has said he wants to provide for his mother, which is not uncommon and he will.

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Mom will just have to wait a little longer.