While Frank Mason III’s extraordinary senior year has elevated Kansas to the No. 1 ranking in the nation and allowed the Petersburg, Va., native to accumulate a growing collection of individual awards, it also could pave his way to the NBA — which appeared far less likely before Mason’s supreme run through the 2016-17 season began.
Listed at 5-foot-11, Mason’s size, more than anything else, inspires evaluators at the next level to hesitate rather than assume his game translates perfectly to the NBA, where players are taller, stronger and faster than in the college ranks.
But Mason’s numbers this season — 20.5 points a game, 5.1 assists, 48.8 percent shooting from the floor, 49.3 percent accuracy from 3-point range — have forced his name into the NBA Draft conversation.
His college coach, Bill Self, who undoubtedly will go to bat for Mason via conversations with scouts, general managers and coaches in the months ahead, said Monday his tough-minded senior point guard has helped his case in another way, as well.
“I think winning trumps everything,” Self said. “I think Frank would agree with that. But also, you know, the naysayers would say, ‘Look, he’s only 5-10.’ But the league is getting a little bit smaller and there’s more guys having success, whether it be a Yogi Ferrell or whatnot that’s not that big.”
In the 2016 draft, the entire league passed on Ferrell, the Indiana point guard Self referenced. Now the 6-foot rookie is starting for Dallas and has a guaranteed contract.
Mason is so diminutive by NBA standards that he even lacks Ferrell’s size — unless you add Mason’s hair to the equation. As Self mentioned, Mason probably is closer to 5-10. Fair or unfair, the league the KU senior aspires to join always has been one of giants. Self is right that the NBA is trending toward more guard-and-wing-heavy lineups, but the fact is very few roster spots are occupied by players similar to Mason.
So far this year in the NBA, only six players under 6-feet have appeared in games. One, Boston’s 5-9 dynamo, Isaiah Thomas, is enjoying an all-NBA-level campaign, which in theory could inspire some decision-makers to give Mason a longer look.
Totals | Per Game | Shooting | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Ht | Age | Tm | G | GS | MP | TRB | AST | STL | TOV | PTS | FG% | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TS% |
Isaiah Thomas | 5-9 | 27 | BOS | 59 | 59 | 34.3 | 2.7 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 29.5 | .459 | .381 | .540 | .908 | .621 |
Ty Lawson | 5-11 | 29 | SAC | 56 | 19 | 25.2 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 9.2 | .439 | .291 | .474 | .806 | .530 |
Tyler Ulis | 5-10 | 21 | PHO | 42 | 0 | 10.6 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 4.1 | .430 | .364 | .455 | .880 | .489 |
Kay Felder | 5-9 | 21 | CLE | 37 | 0 | 9.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 4.0 | .394 | .350 | .420 | .711 | .469 |
Pierre Jackson | 5-10 | 25 | DAL | 8 | 1 | 10.5 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 4.4 | .333 | .273 | .372 | .857 | .416 |
John Lucas III | 5-11 | 34 | MIN | 5 | 0 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | .250 | .000 | .250 | .250 |
Although Thomas’ success is an outlier, the NBA once had serious questions about his chances, too, before Sacramento took him with the final pick in the 2011 draft. Self understands Mason will have to overcome similar skepticism.
“I don’t think anybody has ever questioned his toughness or the fact that he’s a good player. I just think they questioned can he do what he does against bigger guys and NBA players” Self said.
“The way he finishes and now the way he shoots it, it certainly puts you in a situation where you’ve gotta guard him,” KU’s coach added, championing his point guard’s ability and referencing Mason’s remarkable 70-for-142 shooting from 3-point range. “Now if you guard him, all you do is open up driving angles, which we all know he’s very good at touching the paint off the bounce.”
The good news for Mason is the more of a name he makes for himself at KU, the more those who doubt him in the NBA will have to reevaluate their opinions. Entering the postseason, [DraftExpress.com][1] has Mason as the No. 58 choice (two picks before the final spot) in this June’s draft.
Mason [began transforming himself][2] into a legitimate NBA prospect this past summer. He said he learned a lot by going through pro-type workouts with players who had experienced the game at that level.
“And I think it really paid off for me,” he said.
Of course, Mason’s NBA future is not even in the driven senior’s field of vision right now, with his Jayhawks (28-3) gearing up for what they hope will be a March full of cutting down nets.
“I haven’t really been thinking about that,” Mason said Monday in response to a question regarding his draft chances. “I’ve just been enjoying college and just focusing on the season. I haven’t been thinking about the NBA.”
[1]: http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2017/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2017/mar/01/making-frank-mason-kansas-seniors-monster-season-s/?mens_basketball