On Dec. 5, less than a week after he scored 25 points and led South Carolina to a win, A.J. Lawson received his first bit of NBA Draft buzz.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic released that afternoon an “NBA Draft Big Board” with a ranking of 100 players for June’s two-round event. No. 1 was Duke’s Zion Williamson. No. 9 was Murray State’s Ja Morant. No. 49 was Lawson.
Seven games into his college career, USC’s star freshman had developed some one-and-done potential.
“I saw the start, went back and watched the tape,” Vecenie told The State on Wednesday.