Of course it would be a mistake to get negative feedback from scouts and leave anyway. I think his statement is clear on this point. He leaves early if he is guaranteed going in the first round. Most players taken in the first round aren't ready for the NBA yet, but they leave because taking millions of dollars for a guaranteed 3 years is not a financial mistake. It is what it is. Whether he can stick in the NBA and whether he should take the money are two separate things. The NBA is different than the NFL. In the NBA, a rookie taken in the first round can sign his deal and collect the money for three years even if he never plays a game. In the NFL you get your signing bonus, but whatever the rest of the contract says doesn't matter if the team decides they don't want you. The NBA has a powerful players union, the NFL has a weak one. That's the difference. Totally different deal.