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UConn guard Ryan Boatright still undecided on 2014 NBA Draft

Ryan Boatright

Connecticut guard Ryan Boatright cuts down the net after beating Kentucky 60-54, at the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 7, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

David J. Phillip

One of the keys for UConn in its run to the national title was junior guard Ryan Boatright’s play on both ends of the floor. Always a high-energy offensive weapon for the Huskies, it was Boatright’s defensive play that helped key some big wins for the Huskies as they won the program’s fourth national title.

This weekend the guard was back in his native Aurora, Ill., where he was honored by the city for his accomplishments to date. But the trip home also afforded Boatright the opportunity to attend to a major piece of business: sitting down with his family and discussing whether to enter the 2014 NBA Draft or return to Storrs for his senior season and attempt to win another national title.

In a story written by Rick Armstrong of the Aurora Beacon-News, it’s clear that Boatright is undecided in regards to what he’ll do.

“I really don’t know yet,” Boatright said Saturday at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora where Mayor Tom Weisner presented him a key to the city and hundreds of fans cheered him at a rousing homecoming celebration.

“I’ve gotta talk to my mother and my family tomorrow. It’s a big decision. I just want to make the right one. I’ve got ‘til the 27th (of April to declare for the NBA draft). That’s the last day. That’s another reason I came home, to talk to my family about it.”

What Boatright and junior forward DeAndre Daniels decide to do will have a significant impact on the Huskies’ chances of winning a second consecutive national title. Head coach Kevin Ollie will have to account for the loss of two key seniors in Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey (UConn also loses Lasan Kromah and Tyler Olander), and the addition of N.C. State transfer Rodney Purvis and highly-regarded wing Daniel Hamilton will certainly help matters on the perimeter.

But the most logical options with regards to who the leadership “torch” gets passed to are Boatright and Daniels. They have until the 27th to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool, and it would be wise to leave no stone unturned as they work through the process.

Follow @raphiellej