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Oklahoma’s Amath M’Baye will declare for the draft

Oklahoma v San Diego State

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 22: Amath M’Baye #22 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to shoot against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Center on March 22, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Oklahoma junior forward Amath M’Baye will declare for the NBA draft, the school announced.

“My time at OU has been great,” M’Baye, a native of Bordeaux, France, said in a statement. “I’m 23 years old. My goal when I came to the United States was to take care of business in the classroom and by the time I was 23 to have a degree in my pocket. Now that I’m graduating in May, it’s time for me to start taking care of my family the way they’ve taken care of me for so long.

“It’s a tough process of saying goodbye to everybody because I love everyone here. The coaches did an amazing job with me and with this team in general. Everyone was great here and I had an amazing time. I want to be able to come back down the road and help the program however I can, because it’s given me a lot.”

M’Baye is in a unique situation. He’s graduating, he’s 23 years old and he’s got a family he needs to take care of. He’s an intriguingly athletic, 6-foot-9 forward with some touch on his jump shot. He’s got some potential, but he’s not going to get any younger. Draft Express ranked M’Baye as their 36th best prospect in the junior class. There’s a chance that he could end up being drafted, but even if he isn’t, M’Baye should make a good living in Europe.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.