The reigning national champion University of Connecticut Huskies will lose a key player next season after junior forward DeAndre Daniels announced he will be joining the NBA draft this June.
The 6-foot-8 forward from California had averages of 13 points and six rebounds last season and was a key contributor to the Huskies' campaign in the NCAA tournament. During their Sweet 16 win against Iowa State, Daniels scored 27 and grabbed 10 rebounds. In their semifinal win over top seed Florida, he registered 20 points and 10 rebounds. He is expected by most scouts to be taken in the late first round or even in the first half of the second round.
Apart from Daniels, UConn will also lose star guard Shabazz Napier to the NBA draft.
In a statement via ESPN, Daniels said: "I just felt like this was the right time for me. I sat down with my family and we discussed it and everyone agreed, but the final decision was still mine and it was hard. I had a great career at UConn and I wouldn't change it for the world, and to go out on top like we did makes it even better."
His coach, Kevin Ollie, wished his player good luck saying in a statement: "DeAndre has made an enormous contribution to the success we have enjoyed at UConn, both on the court and in the classroom. Besides being an outstanding basketball player, he is a quality young man. We wholeheartedly support the decision he has made and wish him nothing but success as he moves ahead with his basketball career. He will always be part of our UConn family."
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