Is James Webb III Ready for the NBA?

Boise State didn't have the season they wanted, but there were a lot of positives that came out of the 2015-16 season.

One was Anthony Drmic becoming the second leading scorer in Broncos history. It was a terrific accomplishment for a classy player who deserves all the kudos that have been bestowed upon him. He definitely deserves to have his jersey retired one day in the rafters of Taco Bell Arena.

Another key point of the season was the play of James Webb III. He averaged 15.8 points per game, and 9.1 rebounds per contest. He kept the Broncos in a lot of games this year, and with the loss of Derrick Marks, he was definitely a guy who took the throne as the marketable star of Boise State basketball this past year.

That was then. This is now.

James Webb III blocks a shot against Colorado State in a January game against Colorado State. (Photo Courtesy of Brian Losness/USA Today Sports)

A couple of weeks ago, Webb made himself eligible for the NBA Draft. Then, last week, he hired Charles Briscoe of Briscoe Sports Management as his agent, ending his career at Boise State. Webb looks to become the first Bronco player taken in the draft since Roberto Bergersen was taken by the Atlanta Hawks in 1999.

Webb explained his decision last week on Idaho Sports Talk on Sports Radio 93-1 FM in Boise with Jeff Caves and Dave Harbison.

"I had a great career at Boise, and I had a lot of memories at Boise State," Webb explained. "But I just felt, for my sake, it was time to move on."

No one can fault Webb for wanting to play at the next level, or the possibility of improving his financial situation, but the fact of the matter is that it would have helped Webb immensely to come back and improve his resume. His college game could have only gotten better with a little more seasoning under his belt. Webb is taking a big risk, considering the fact that most NBA draft experts don't even have him in the top 60 of picks, and given that the NBA draft is a two round event, that might pose a big challenge for the ex-Boise State forward.

One possible option for Webb is the NBA D-League, which has a good success rate of promoting players to the NBA. He can improve his skills, and thus make himself NBA ready in the next 2-3 years. His scoring prowess mixed in with his fantastic athletic ability is attractive to any NBA D-League looking to improve their team with a forward that can not only score, but rebound as well.

One route that is also lucrative to American college basketball players is going over to Europe. His ex-teammate, Derrick Marks is playing for Orsi Derthona Basket of the Italian League, and has been pretty solid, averaging 14.1 points per game during the 2015-16 season. It's an avenue that makes a lot of sense, especially if he wants to make some good money playing the game he loves.

Basketball is a business, pure and simple, and it makes sense that Webb would want to take advantage of that. But he would have been more attractive to NBA scouts and General Managers if he would have stayed in school for another season.

Then, there would have been improvement to his overall game, and more of a sample size than just the two seasons he did play at Boise State.

James Webb will have options, make no mistake, but will they be the ones he desires?

Only time will tell.