When a college player bent on playing professionally hurts himself significantly, the most prudent move would seem to be to return for another year (if that option is available) to restore the confidence of NBA scouts. If the player becomes apprehensive about further injury and still earns a first-round grade, the best move might be to enter the draft anyway.

After tearing his ACL earlier in the season, Colorado's junior point guard Spencer Dinwiddie (14.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.8 apg), isn't sure he's still a projected first round pick like he was before the injury. If he receives enough feedback that he still is, he'll most likely enter his name like he'd intended earlier in the year.

As one scout pointed out, many players have returned from an ACL tear.

"I don't think his stock changes," an NBA general manager saidm according to ESPN.

"Guys come back from torn ACLs all the time -- and it's not as if he was super-athletic," he added, referring to the 6-foot-6's Dinwiddie's slower, smoother, and size-based game.

I'm not sure I agree with the latter part of that assessment. Since Dinwiddie isn't exceptionally athletic by NBA standards, losing a few nanoseconds off his first step might be even more detrimental to his game than a player with excessive quicks -- especially because he's a guard.

If the current mock drafts are accurate, Dinwiddie will be back at Colorado (he's not even projected to be selected by nbadraft.net and draftexpress.com). Given the Buffaloes are returning their other four starters from a team that made the NCAA Tournament despite losing their leading man after 17 games in (when they were 14-2; they lost the 17th game when Dinwiddie was injured 15 minutes in), he shouldn't be too disappointed. When's the last time Colorado had this much promise?

From his YouTube videos, broken down rather smartly by draftexpress.com, Dinwiddie reminds me of former Ohio State guard and current Indiana Pacer Evan Turner. If he goes somewhere in the late first round next year, NBA teams will probably be pretty happy if he he plays to similar success.