Gonzaga's breakout center, seven-footer Kelly Olynyk, has declared for the NBA draft following a junior season in which he led the Gonzaga Bulldogs to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Olynyk, a seven-foot, 238 pound center broke out in his third season at Gonzaga, scoring 17.8 points, grabbing 7.3 rebounds and blocking a shot per game for the 32-3 Bulldogs who were a perfect 16-0 within the West Coast Conference. Olynyk was third in Division I in field goal percentage, hitting 63 percent of his shots. He also displayed touch from the free throw line, nailing 77 percent of his foul shots, a nice number for a big man.
The Bulldogs were upset in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament by the ninth-seeded Wichita State Shockers, whose run ended in the Final Four. Despite the stinging disappointment, Olynyk's desire to play in the NBA held final sway in his decision, which he arrived at Thursday. "In the end, it's something you've dreamed about since you were a little kid."
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few had kind words for the departing Olynyk, saying, "We are very proud of what Kelly was able to accomplish at Gonzaga both on the court and in the classroom. We wish him all the best in his next challenge."
Olynyk was a reserve in his first two seasons with the Zags, playing just 12 minutes per game in his sophomore season and averaging a paltry 5.8 points a night. "Nine months ago this wasn't what I envisioned for today," Olynyk said. "It came quicker than I expected and I've got to capitalize."
Olynyk is the second player in Gonzaga history to leave Gonzaga early for the NBA draft, and the first since Austin Daye in 2009. Olynyk is projected to be a mid-first round pick; if he selected in the first round, he would be the fifth Bulldog to earn that honor. The other four are: John Stockton, Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison and Daye.
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