Junior point guard John Gilchrist leads the defending ACC champs into MCI Center today.

If John Gilchrist decides to leave the Terrapin men’s basketball team for the NBA draft at season’s end, what will his legacy be?

The junior point guard looks like he already has one foot out of Comcast Center, primed for that jump to the league — regardless if his game is ready.

In the end, it will be difficult to tell how Gilchrist — one of the more intriguing Terp basketball players in recent memory — will be remembered in College Park.

Despite this season’s turmoil, Gilchrist is arguably the third-best point guard in head coach Gary Williams’ tenure, behind Steve Blake and Steve Francis.

He single-handedly carried the Terps to their first ACC tournament championship last season in 20 years, a feat no one has accomplished since Len Bias and Lefty Driesell were the faces of the program.

Juan Dixon, Blake and Lonny Baxter won a national title, but they didn’t capture an ACC crown. Neither did Stevie Franchise, Keith Booth or Joe Smith, putting Gilchrist in elite company when it comes to Terp ACC titles.

Gilchrist led the team last season in points (15.4), assists (5.0) and steals (1.8) while ranking fourth on the team in rebounding (4.5). His performance in the ACC tournament last season was absolutely inspiring.

His raw emotion was endearing. He’s a guy who pumped his fists, shook his head at refs, grinned at opposing players and barked encouragement to teammates.

You could often see tears in his eyes after losses last season and hear him mumbling a few inaudible sentences to reporters as he sulked in front of his locker.

Gilchrist, though, was a sportswriter’s favorite after a win. He was the best talker on the team with his tangents about being a “little dude” balling in Virginia Beach,Va.

He was confident, bordering on cocky. But everyone looked past that because Gilchrist was emerging as the new face of the program. Dixon and company were gone — now Gilchrist was the man. Even better, he was just a sophomore.

But Gilchrist had some trouble with his “identity” after last season, according to Williams. He decided to go pro and had to be talked into staying at the university.

Right then, Gilchrist lost his teammates.

Regardless of how unselfish you are or how much you claim to be a “team” guy, players almost always compete with each other — whether it’s for shots, points, awards, whatever. The great teams don’t have those problems, but teams that go 14-18 in the ACC over two years do.

Put yourself in Nik Caner-Medley’s or even Chris McCray’s shoes. How does it feel when a teammate says he is ready for the big time but only proved it for one weekend? How does it feel when a guy who ran the show for a team that was 7-9 in the conference says he doesn’t need you anymore?

Supposedly, the problems started across the pond when the Terps made their summer tour in Italy. Gilchrist pouted throughout the trip and was abrasive, said fans who traveled with the team.

And this is supposed to be the leader, sulking through exhibition games?

It was almost inevitable the problems would continue during the regular season. After consecutive shellackings at North Carolina and Wake Forest, Gilchrist and Williams weren’t seeing eye to eye.

It was about this time Williams spoke of Gilchrist’s identity issues.

Meanwhile, Gilchrist’s play was madly inconsistent. He was average some nights, fantastic other nights.

Then, as the Terps stumbled to the finish, Gilchrist wanted to talk about the team’s “behind the scenes” problems.

Well, there may be some off-court problems, but Gilchrist hasn’t been nearly as effective on the court in the Terps’ past three losses. He looks tentative on offense one possession, then the next time down he slices through the lane throwing up errant shots.

His teammates look like they’re sick of the ups and downs. Who knows? Maybe they hope he does head for the NBA draft.

And if Clemson’s Sharrod Ford has his way with the Terps for the third time this season today, it may be the last time you see Gilchrist in a Terps uniform.

Or maybe he will rediscover some of that magic he appeared to leave in Greensboro, N.C., last season to lead the Terps to another thrilling run through the ACC tournament.

But no one can really tell, which is fitting, because no one ever can when it comes to Gilchrist.