Jaden Akins expectedly testing NBA draft waters

As expected, Jaden Akins is testing the NBA draft waters and will go through the process while getting some feedback.

Get your hand away from that panic button, Spartan fans. Jaden Akins has declared for the NBA draft and that’s just the new norm for prospects these days.

Michigan State sophomore Jaden Akins announces on Instagram he’ll be entering the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. pic.twitter.com/utMJOVcuqs

— Stephen Brooks (@StephenM_Brooks) April 21, 2023

No, that doesn’t mean he’s officially gone because he’s hiring an agent. If he hires an NCAA-approved agent, he can return next season. No, this doesn’t mean he has no plans of returning. This is actually a very common move by top college players every year. They go, get feedback, and return to college to work on what the NBA scouts tell them.

Akins finished his sophomore year by averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He shot 42 percent from the floor, 42 percent from deep, and 71 percent from the charity stripe.

All of his numbers improved and he doubles his minutes, going from just over 14 as a freshman to just under 28 as a sophomore. He played a ton but some would argue he didn’t get enough ball-handling duties which has been a heated debate all season long. While I’m not going to weigh in on that at the moment, I do believe that he’s barely scratched the surface of his potential.

Jaden will likely go through the process, get valuable feedback, come back and have a meeting with Izzo and then make a decision from there. This is an expected step.

This also feels much different than when Max Christie entered his name last offseason. He seemed like he was ready to move on while I think Akins has a ton more to give to the college game.

If and when he does come back to Michigan State, Izzo will need to figure out how to split the workload evenly between his three starting guards so everyone is happy — assuming Tyson Walker returns.

For now, Akins will be hearing back from NBA scouts and weighing his potential at the pro level. Don’t fret, Spartan fans, this was more than expected.