Braylon Mullins Faces the Choice Every College Star Dreams About: Stay or Go Pro?

Braylon Mullins is 19 years old, from a small town in Indiana, and he's about to make a decision that will change his life forever. The UConn phenom just played in the Final Four, and now he has to choose between millions of dollars in the NBA or millions more staying in college. No pressure, right?

"Just being in the present right now, trying to get over this hump," Mullins said after UConn's loss to Michigan in the national championship game. "I don't know what my future holds, I'll do whatever makes me a better person or player."

The Math Has Completely Flipped

Here's the wild part: this decision is way harder than it used to be. A few years ago, if an NBA team offered you millions to play professionally, you took it and ran. Done. Pen out faster than you can blink.

But the world has changed. Name-image-and-likeness deals and revenue sharing have made college basketball suddenly competitive on the money front. UConn has the resources to offer Mullins life-changing money to come back as a sophomore, we're talking millions. Meanwhile, Mullins would likely be a 15th pick in the NBA Draft if he went pro now, according to reporting. You don't have to be a financial advisor to see why this is complicated.

Coach Dan Hurley laid it out on The Dan Patrick Show this week: "Players like Braylon would probably make more money at UConn next year than if he was the No. 15 pick." Hurley added that unless you know you're going to be a lottery pick or guaranteed top-15, staying in college might actually be the smarter move right now.

That 35-Footer Changed Everything

Mullins hit a 35-foot game-winner in the East Regional Final against Duke. It was the kind of shot that gets replayed a thousand times, the kind that makes your name a household word. His stock in the draft didn't go up because of it, and it didn't go down with the shots he missed either. NBA teams don't work like that.

But his earning potential as a college sophomore? That went through the roof. Mullins became the name rolling off everyone's lips during the Final Four. If he comes back to play for UConn next year, he could be the face of college basketball nationwide, not just UConn. We're talking national endorsement deals. Shoes. Sports drinks. Apparel. The kind of money that doesn't fit neatly into spreadsheets.

Hurley promised Mullins something special when he left Indiana for UConn, and he delivered. The Final Four happened in Indianapolis, just 25 miles from his hometown of Greenfield. Now the question is what comes next. That's on Mullins, and his family, to figure out.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.