There's one question on every Northwestern fan's mind these days: will Chase Audige return to Northwestern for one last year, or will he go pro?
It's to the point where an innocent fire emoji tweet from WildcatReport to acknowledge Miami's win over Boston in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals last night was interpreted by a few Wildcat fans as a possible sign that Audige was coming back to the Cats.
Wednesday, May 31, is the deadline for Audige, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-Big Ten selection last season, to decide whether he'll remain a Wildcat or keep his name in the NBA Draft. And Purple Nation is holding its collective breath.
I reached out to several sources within and outside of the program, and no one seems to know which way the 6-foot-4 guard is leaning. The mood is hopeful, but unsure.
The truth is that no one is certain what Audige will announce tomorrow. He's quiet and reserved by nature, and people have a difficult time reading his intentions. More than one doubts that he's made up his mind yet.
Compounding the matter is that Audige is working out for an NBA team at the club's facility tomorrow. So the feedback he gets could conceivably influence his decision one way or the other.
The general consensus, though, is that returning to Northwestern makes the most sense for Audige -- even financially. Sources are confident he could make more money through an NIL deal at Northwestern than he would overseas as a pro player. Most observers also believe that Audige has little chance of getting drafted by the NBA, so playing in another country may be his only option.
The flip side of the coin is that this would be Audige's sixth year of college -- one at William & Mary and five at Northwestern (he sat out one year as a transfer back when it was an NCAA rule). He may be tired of college and ready to move on with the rest of his life.
Audige, a three-year starter, was second on the team in scoring and assists last season, behind star point guard Boo Buie -- his backcourt running mate who already announced he is returning to Northwestern. Audige averaged 14.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for the Wildcats, and came up with 98 assists. Perhaps the best two-way guard in the Big Ten, he also led the Big Ten with 81 steals.
If he comes back, Northwestern would return seven of its top nine scorers from a team that finished second in the Big Ten and made just the second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. They would be one of the favorites to capture a Big Ten title that has eluded the program since 1932-33.
At the same time, this isn't an all-or-nothing proposition for the Wildcats, who have added some key pieces that could make another run at the Big Dance next season with or without Audige.
Head coach Chris Collins mined the transfer portal and added Ryan Longborg, a star point guard and three-point shooter from Princeton's Sweet 16 team; Justin Mullins, an athletic wing from Denver with three years of eligibility left; and Blake Preston, a 6-foot-9 big who should slide right into the graduated Tydus Verhoeven's role. They also have two combo guards and a wing coming in as freshmen (Jordan Clayton, Parker Strauss and Blake Barkley, respectively).
Buie, a first-team All-Big Ten pick, is back, as are starters Ty Berry and Matt Nicholson, as well as emerging star Brooks Barnhizer.
Either way, Northwestern should field a strong team next season. But it would be a heck of a lot better with No. 1 back in the lineup.
