KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the second time in as many days, a Kansas men's basketball player has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Redshirt freshman forward Jalen Wilson announced Friday that he will enter the draft, but plans to keep his NCAA eligibility intact and still could return to the Jayhawks next season.
Wilson joins fellow forward Ochai Agbaji, an Oak Park High School graduate, in testing the NBA waters. Agbaji declared for the NBA Draft on Thursday.
“I am grateful to say that with prayer and discussion with Coach (Bill) Self and my family, I will test the NBA draft process,” Wilson said in a statement released by KU.
Wilson can withdraw from the draft process until Monday, July 19, and return to Lawrence.
“Jalen had a terrific freshman year and played a critical role in our success,” Kansas coach Bill Self said in a statement. “We knew as the season progressed there would be interest in exploring the NBA process. I fully support his decision and know that he will handle this experience properly."
Wilson suffered a broken ankle two games into his freshman season with the Jayhawks in 2019-20 and redshirted.
Wilson appeared in in 28 games during the 2020-21 season, finishing third on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game. He also led KU in rebounding at 8.2 rebounds per game and made 40 three-pointers, which ranked third on the team.
Wilson missed KU's first-round win against Eastern Washington in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament amid COVID-19 protocols.
