His original plan had been to finish this season, then fight for a chance to enter the NBA.
But with the Five-Year Pact ending early, that was no longer the only option.
To be honest, the European League—even Europe itself—was not held in particularly high regard in America.
Otherwise, Ginobili would not have been picked only 57th overall, and Calderon would not have remained unwanted even after winning La Liga MVP.
In the eyes of those American scouts, the current European League was truly inferior to the NCAA, perhaps roughly on the same level as the CBA.
In a league of that level, even if you averaged 20 points per game, others might still think you were nothing special.
Especially for a perimeter player, not to mention that he was not even 1.85 meters tall.
In other words, entering the draft this year was not the wisest decision.
Because time within the system ran at a 1:2 ratio, playing here for one more year was equivalent to training for two more years.
It was foreseeable that one year from now, he would unlock more Badges, and his existing Badges would be upgraded further as well.
Besides, if he remembered correctly, Gasol would also enter the draft next year. They could attend the event together then.
Two men who were both rivals and friends, sitting together in the Green Room—that would be quite an interesting sight.
As for the NCAA, although this era did not yet have the future rule barring players who had played professionally, he had already ruled it out.
American scouts believed the European League was inferior to the NCAA, but he had played in both leagues and understood the difference between them.
The NCAA emphasized individual ability, while the European League valued tactics, technique, and physical confrontation.