Herro to keep name in NBA Draft
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
Kentucky freshman guard announces that he will remain in the draft pool, ending his career with the Wildcats as another one-and-done.
Tyler Herro launched a 3-pointer in this season's game against Arkansas.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Tyler Herro put an end to the speculation concerning his basketball future on Tuesday, announcing via his Twitter social media account that he plans to keep his name in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The freshman guard from Milwaukee had previously announced he would test the draft waters but leave the door open for a return to UK.
“After exploring my options a little bit more and getting some immediate feedback, I’ve decided to remain in the draft," Herro said. "My hope was always to remain in the draft and begin my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA, but we wanted to be absolutely certain that taking that next step was in my best interests. After the information my family and I received, I believe that time is now and I’m ready to jump into that next stage of my life with both feet."
Under new NCAA rules, players can sign with a certified agent, receive feedback, and still return to school by May 29. UK freshman forward Keldon Johson is still weighing that decision, which must come at least 10 days before the NBA Draft Combine.
Herro, a 6-foot-5 wing who is currently projected in the mid- to late first round, averaged 14.0 points per game during his one season with the Wildcats, including a career-high 29 against Arkansas and 24 against Louisville. The All-SEC freshman team member was the Cats' second-leading scorer behind fellow early draft entrant PJ Washington.
He shot 36 percent from 3-point range and was also one of the nation's top free-throw shooters, making 93.5 percent of his shots at the line this season. That set new UK and SEC records for players with 50-100 attempts. He sank 70 of his final 72 free throws.
“As I said last week, Tyler is wired and driven like few other players I’ve coached,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “Tyler was such a pleasure to coach this year because he didn’t let anyone else define what type of player he was; he defined what type of player he was going to be. He made the decision and put in the effort to become a complete basketball player who can score on the bounce, who can shoot it, who can defend and who can rebound. It’s his total package that will make Tyler successful at the next level. I’ve loved coaching him and I can’t wait to see what he does at the next level.”
“This year was everything I had hoped for and more," Herro said. "Coach Cal and the staff challenged me to become a complete basketball player, and I truly believe I’ve done that and improved in all areas of my game. I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned to the next level."
