Dink Pate passed on NBA opportunities, now hoping to play at Providence

Dink Pate has already played professional basketball. Now he’d like to give college a try.

The 20-year-old guard is seeking NCAA eligibility to play for Providence this season after spending time with G League Ignite, the Mexico City Capitanes and Westchester Knicks.

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Pate even turned down multiple 10-day and two-way NBA contract opportunities last season because he hoped to play college basketball.

That’s certainly not the traditional route. Pate went directly from high school to the G League before NIL money transformed the college landscape. He later signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Knicks, allowing him to earn a bonus for joining Westchester after being waived.

Now he’s actually attending college for the first time while waiting for the NCAA to decide whether he’s allowed to play.

“College was one of the main things I was missing,” Pate told Washburn.

He described the considerable difference between being the kid on a professional team with married teammates in their 30s and suddenly having classmates and teammates his own age.

“I’ve had to adjust to having four classes on a Monday and having a two-hour practice,” Pate said. “I feel at home here.”

His agent, Sam Permut, believes Pate has a strong case for eligibility. We’ll see what the NCAA decides.

But it’s a fascinating reversal of the path we’ve become accustomed to seeing. Pate skipped college to become a professional basketball player. Now he’s turning down professional basketball opportunities for a chance to become a college player.