Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said on ESPN SportsCenter on Friday morning that point guard Tyler Ennis could have used another year at SU to improve his NBA stock.

Ennis declared for the NBA on March 27, five days after Syracuse’s loss to Dayton in the Round of 32, and said “I feel this experience has helped prepare me to fulfill my lifelong dream – to play in the NBA,” in a statement.

But Boeheim thinks that from a physical standpoint, he could be more prepared.

“I think he’s a great college player,” Boeheim said. “I think physically he probably could’ve used another year. A little bit different than Dion Waiters who I had a couple of years ago who left. I think Dion was physically better, more physically ready.

“I think when you go to the NBA you need to be as physically ready as you can be.”

Boeheim called Ennis — who averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 assists per game on the season — a tremendous player and a “very, very smart point guard.” He said Ennis has the skillset to emerge as a good NBA point guard, yet added that it’s the hardest position to break into in the NBA.

“It’s just a question of him landing in the right place,” Boeheim said.

Ennis is currently ninth on Chad Ford’s “big board” of prospects. He’s slated as the No. 16 pick on NBADraft.net and No. 14 pick on DraftExpress.com.

Published on April 4, 2014 at 12:51 pm

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass