Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

UConn junior forward DeAndre Daniels to enter NBA Draft

DeAndre Daniels

Connecticut forward DeAndre Daniels reacts during the first half of an NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Florida Saturday, April 5, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Eric Gay

UConn’s chances of repeating as national champions next season hinged, in part, on the decisions of guard Ryan Boatright and forward DeAndre Daniels. With both considering entering the 2014 NBA Draft, head coach Kevin Ollie would have more holes to fill with Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey and Lasan Kromah out of eligibility if those two juniors were to leave.

And Friday afternoon it was learned that there will be one more hole to fill.

As first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports that Daniels, whose improved play during the NCAA tournament made him a more enticing prospect to NBA scouts, has decided to forego his final season of eligibility and enter his name into the 2014 NBA Draft pool.
MORE:The list of players entering the 2014 NBA Draft

Daniels averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a junior, and in the NCAA tournament he found the level of consistency that wasn’t always there during the regular season. Daniels reached double figures in five of UConn’s six NCAA tournament wins, including a 27-point, ten-rebound performance in their Sweet 16 win over Iowa State.

Draft Express projects Daniels, who was one of the best high school players in his class back in 2011, to be a late-first round selection.

Follow @raphiellej