What he ought to do is to get a clear-eyed assessment and that’s always a difficult thing to get.
My observation is that players who are not good students and who don’t enjoy college are always going to jump. They put great weight on people telling them what they want to hear.
Battle is, apparently, a good student in a good major. So he does have a choice and he can listen with with a critical ear.
He’s a great athlete and he is mentally and physically tough. But he’s not a finished product. He can do that in college or somewhere else. If he’s happy where he is, than I think there's a good chance he will come back.
I was waiting for someone to mention the fact that he's a good student. So, I referenced this in a thread, but my advice would be the following:
If you are dead set on going, then go. I say that with no ill will or animosity. What he's done here is admirable and impressive to a large degree. Godspeed. There is also no 'wrong' decision assuming he gets drafted and has a shot to stick somewhere.
However, if you're interested in making a decision on a career vs. a quick payday (and again, sometimes that quick payday turns into a long career, so again, not judging that call) there's a strong case to be made for returning. Here it is:
1. You're all-acc academic, so worst-case scenario you're pretty close to your degree 13 months from now. You may even have enough credits to graduate. On the off-chance you don't make $250M playing basketball, that thing will come in handy.
2. You enjoy playing college basketball. Everyone seems to feel this is indentured servitude but ultimately you're on a cool campus playing a sport with a bunch of dudes you like, playing in a cool conference and there is very little chance next year's group misses the tourney, which is an awesome experience.
3. There is absolutely no evidence the G-League nor the NBA serves as an ideal -- or at least optimal platform -- for improving your game. Seriously, battle needs to improve his range and his shooting, he needs touches to become a better play-maker for teammates and he may need to address the hitch in his shot. Those things aren't happening in a Clippers/Warriors game. They are happening in Grand Rapids or somewhere ... but even there we haven't seen a lot of players emerge from the D-League to be regular rotation guys in the NBA. It's happened but a guy like Quinn Cook has played really well in the G League for three years. He's now getting some minutes for the decimated Warriors, but he's got 36 total nba games under his belt and there is absolutely no guarantee it ever happens. Point is -- there's a case to be made that your best chance of improving your game (regardless of draft status) is by getting a ton of touches and reps while playing at the cuse.
4. You are playing for a coach that is going to let you be the lead dog and is going to let you do your thing. You want to show off your improved shooting and improved range? Go ahead. You want to show off your ability to drive and kick to an open teammate? Go ahead. You want to tinker with your mechanics on the shot? Let's do it. This isn't like being in some specific, military-style system. You've got freedom.
I don't know -- I can see going, but the bottom line is he could be looking at a mid-second round pick and he has obvious holes in his game right now. I'm totally fine with him going, but the idea that coming back would be a 'bad' decision is a fallacy in my mind.