Washington declares for NBA Draft, will forgo remaining eligibility
TyTy Washington will take his game to the NBA after one season with the Wildcats. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
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@JDrumUK
TyTy Washington is ready to take his game to the next level.
Kentucky's standout freshman combo guard announced Wednesday that he intends to enter the NBA Draft and will forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility.
“From Coach Cal to everyone involved with Kentucky basketball, I can’t thank you enough for the support. The experience and the knowledge I can carry forward from my time here at Kentucky will help me be a better man and player moving forward,,” Washington said in a statement released by UK.
"After discussing my options with Coach Cal, my parents, and family, I’ve decided to make myself eligible for the upcoming NBA Draft. Leaving Kentucky won’t be easy, but I am ready for the challenges ahead and know I am ready based on my experiences here in Lexington. Thank you again to the fans, the coaches, all the supporters of Kentucky Basketball, and most importantly the people who helped me get here, my mom and my dad.”
Washington was one of the top freshmen in the country this season, earning second-team All-SEC honors after averaging 12.5 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. He shot 45% from the field and 35% from 3-point range.
The Phoenix native had five 20-point performances, including a career-high 28 in Kentucky's 107-79 rout of Tennessee on Jan. 15 at Rupp Arena. He also broke John Wall's single-game assist record at UK when, filling in at the point for an injured Sahvir Wheeler, he dished out 17 to go along with 17 points in a Jan. 8 win over Georgia.
Washington, a long 6-foot-3 athlete who projects as a potential lottery pick by several NBA Draft analysts, recorded double-doubles in both points/rebounds and points/assists this season. He finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the SEC and 31st nationally with a 2.43 assist-to-turnover ratio.
“TyTy is a play-making guard who has the ability to play on the ball or off and still impact the game in a variety of ways,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “We’ve had a number of players leave here and be successful at the next level who are in a similar mode as TyTy.
"I’m excited for TyTy and his family because I know with his work ethic, his ability to play within himself and allow the game to come to him, that he will have the opportunity to be another one of our guys to find success in that league. TyTy’s best days as a basketball player are in front of him, and he and his family know that they have my full support as he chases his dreams.”
Washington joins junior forward Keion Brooks Jr. in making their intentions known to enter this year's draft. Brooks, however, left the door open for a return to UK.
Since Calipari joined the Kentucky program for the 2009-10 season, UK has produced 43 NBA Draft picks over 12 seasons. Included in the 43 are 32 first-rounders, three No. 1 overall picks, and 21 lottery selections.
