Jared Cunningham made it official on Monday, announcing that he would be foregoing his final year of eligibility and entering the NBA Draft.
“This was a very difficult decision,” Cunningham said. “But I felt like I had to do what was best for me and my future. My dream has always been to play in the NBA and I’m ready to pursue that dream. I thank my teammates, my coaches and the training staff that helped me get to this chapter in my life. I also want to thank Beaver Nation for the love and support that they have shown me during my three years at Oregon State. I will always be a Beaver and I wish great success to the team in the future.”
Cunningham is a terrific athlete and defender, but his offensive arsenal needs quite a bit of work. He’s a streaky shooter and an inconsistent ball-handler, which will make it tough for him to find a position to play at the next level, but he’s a nightmare to keep out of the paint. Cunningham is projected to go in the mid-to-late second round.
Oregon State should be decent next season, however. Cunningham is the only member of their rotation that they lose, and they have a number of decent young players. Eric Moreland and Devon Collier are intriguing talents alongside Joe Burton in the front court, while Ahmad Starks and Roberto Nelson will make up a decent back court.
Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.