It appears as if decision time may have arrived for Kansas center Udoka Azubuike.
Sources told the Journal-World on Wednesday that the KU big man could announce his decision about testing the NBA draft waters or returning to KU for his junior season by the end of the week, perhaps as soon as Thursday.
Thanks to a new rule put in place in 2016, underclassmen are now allowed to test their standing with NBA teams and still return to school if they do not like what they hear, provided they do not hire an agent.
The deadline to declare for early entry in this year’s draft arrives Sunday. The date to for early entries to pull their name out of the draft is May 30. This year’s NBA Draft will take place June 21 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The 7-foot, 280-pound center who started 34 of 39 games for Kansas this season has not appeared on any mock drafts throughout his time as a Jayhawk.
Azubuike, who missed time because of injuries during both his freshman and sophomore seasons at KU, averaged 13 points and seven rebounds in 23.6 minutes per game this season while leading the nation with a 77 percent field goal percentage.
Azubuike said at last week’s team banquet that he hoped to make a decision in the next week or so.
“Yeah it is. It definitely is,” he said when asked if it was a tough decision. “Like I said, I spoke to my family about it and all that, and right now it’s pretty much my decision. Probably the next couple of days or the next week, I’ll make my decision about what I’m going to do.”
Graham, Svi pick agents
—————
Former Kansas guards Svi Mykhailiuk and Devonte’ Graham have selected the agencies that will represent them throughout the upcoming NBA Draft process and the early part of the pro careers.
Graham, who leaves Kansas as one of the most beloved players of all-time and the reigning Big 12 player of the year, signed with CAA Sports, an agency that has a client list of more than 1,700 professional athletes, including some of the best NBA players in today’s game.
Those players include: Former Jayhawk Joel Embiid, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul George, Tony Parker and dozens more.
Mykhailiuk, who finished his career as the single-season record holder for 3-point makes, with 115 this season, and in fourth place on KU’s all-time list with 237 threes, has signed with SIG Sports as his representation ahead of this summer’s NBA Draft.
SIG also represents former Jayhawk Tarik Black, who boasts on the agency’s web site that, “SIG is not just an agency, it’s a family. From Day 1, everyone in the agency has accepted me, not only as a client, but into the bond that they all share. I know I’m not supposed to be anywhere else or with anyone else. With this agency is where I belong. They’ve worked extremely hard and have been very professional in representing me. They are a major part of my success.”
Early entrees Lagerald Vick and Malik Newman, who announced earlier this month that they would forego the rest of their college eligibility, have yet to sign with agents.
Vick’s mother, LaLa Vick, said she and her son were discussing his options Wednesday night. And Malik Newman’s father, Horatio Webster, said his son could have his plans finalized by the end of the week.
ESPN updates rankings
————–
The 2018 KU recruiting class features a trio of Top 25 prospects, according to ESPN.com’s recruiting rankings, which were updated and released this week.
Five-star guard Quentin Grimes (No. 8) made the Top 10, while five-star point guard Devon Dotson (No. 22) and four-star center David McCormack (No. 25) both cracked the Top 25.
Earlier in the week, Rivals.com also released its updated player rankings, [with Grimes, Dotson and McCormack ranking Nos. 8, 18 and 33.][1]
That group puts KU’s overall haul at No. 6 in ESPN’s team standings, with Duke and Kentucky finishing 1-2 for the fifth consecutive year.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale-tait/2018/apr/16/kansas-basketball-signee-makes-major-jum/
