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Providence’s Ricky Ledo declares for NBA Draft

Ed Cooley

Providence head coach Ed Cooley reacts to a call against Baylor during the second half of an NIT college basketball game in Waco, Texas, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Baylor won 79-68. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Rod Aydelotte)

AP

(CLICK HERE to follow along with who is turning pro and who is returning to school.)

Providence’s Ricardo Ledo is headed to the NBA Draft, forgoing all four years of eligibility he’d have with the Friars.

Ledo, a Providence native, announced he was headed to the draft through the school’s athletic website.

The 6-7, 195-pounder swingman was forced to sit out this season as a freshman due to issues with his eligibility, but would’ve had his full eligibility restored going forward. Instead, coach Ed Cooley’s biggest recruit in his tenure with the Friars leaves without playing a game.

“I want to thank Providence College for the opportunity to be a Friar,” Ledo said in a statement. “As much as I wanted to play for the Friars and help the team win a BIG EAST championship, I felt I could not pass up this opportunity to enter the NBA Draft now. I had a great experience this season and will always remember the great atmosphere for our games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. I appreciate all the support from the College, the fans, my teammates and the coaching staff, especially Coach Cooley. I love my teammates and I will always be a Friar.”

Ledo was ranked in the Top 25 overall in the Class of 2012, according to various scouting services. He was billed as a scorer, averaging over 20 points per game at South Kent (Conn.) Prep during the 2011-12 season. He was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic all-star game after the season.

There had been questions about his ability to play within a team, but there were no reported issues with Ledo during his one year at Providence.

Various NBA Draft sites have him from a fringe first-rounder to undrafted, but you’d think with a player with his skill set, Ledo’s pre-draft workouts are going to set the tone for where he goes, since he hasn’t been in a competitive game for an entire season.

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten