Early entrants had until Monday to remove their names from the draft and maintain their college eligibility. The coronavirus pandemic has prevented players from working out for NBA teams. Iowa’s Luka Garza was among the players this weekend who announced their intentions to return for the final seasons.
Crutcher joins teammate Ibi Watson on the list of Flyers who declared for the draft this spring but decided to return to school. Both have one season of eligibility remaining.
Obi Toppin, Dayton’s leading scorer last season and the consensus national player of the year, also entered his name in the draft. He’s expected to be a lottery pick and was invited to the NBA Draft Combine, while Crutcher was not. The draft is scheduled to be held Oct. 16. No date has been set for the combine.
Entering the weekend, Toppin was the only Atlantic 10 Conference player who entered his name in the draft as an early entrant and kept his name in the draft. These players have elected to return to school: Crutcher; Ryan Daly (Saint Joseph’s); Fatts Russell (Rhode Island); Blake Francis and Jacob Gilyard (Richmond); Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French (Saint Louis)
With Crutcher returning, Dayton has 12 scholarship players, and 11 of them can play in the 2020-21 season. University of Southern California transfer Elijah Weaver will have to sit out the season as a transfer. Crutcher and redshirt senior guard Rodney Chatman are the only returning starters.
Crutcher, who’s from Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tenn., averaged 15.1 points and 4.9 assists last season for a team that finished 29-2 overall and 18-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. He’s a three-year starter who has scored 1,170 points in three seasons. Crutcher ranks 36th in school history in scoring and ninth in school history with 470 assists.
Crutcher and Toppin made the Atlantic 10 Conference first team this season. It was the first time Dayton had two players make the first team in the same season.
Crutcher announced his decision to enter his name in the draft on March 26.
“First of all, I would like to thank God for all that he has done and everything he is about to do,” Crutcher wrote on Instagram. “I would like to thank the University of Dayton, my teammates, coach (Anthony) Grant and the coaching staff. Lastly, I can’t leave out the best fans in the world. Flyer Nation, I love you all! After discussing my future with my parents and coaches, I have decided to enter my name in the 2020 NBA draft. Throughout this process, I will keep my eligibility. Thank you all for your continued support. Go Flyers!”
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