Draft-decision notebook: Ineligible Bowen heads to NBA after FBI allegations

[May 31, 2018]  South Carolina's Brian Bowen will remain in the NBA draft after being deemed ineligible to play next season at a minimum by the NCAA on Wednesday.

Bowen's punishment stems from FBI allegations that his father took money from Adidas while Bowen was at Louisville. He transferred to South Carolina prior to the start of the second semester of his first year and hoped to gain eligibility for next season.

"I am completely devastated by the NCAA's ruling," Bowen said in a South Carolina press release.

Bowen, a former top recruit, is projected to be drafted late in the second round, if at all.

--Kevin Huerter is staying in the draft, a tough loss for the Maryland Terrapins.

Huerter did not retain an agent but decided against returning for his junior season. He reportedly is viewed as a potential late first-round pick.

Huerter was second on the squad in scoring (14.8) and assists (3.4) last season for a team that finished 19-13. He made a team-leading 73 3-pointers and his 138 career 3s ranks 12th in school history.

--Wisconsin big man Ethan Happ announced he withdrew from the draft and is back for his senior campaign.

Happ averaged 17.9 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Badgers last season. He also blocked 35 shots.

Happ ranks ninth in school history with 1,541 career points. He also ranks second in rebounding (875), third in steals (179) and sixth in blocked shots (110).

--Kansas center Udoka Azubuike withdrew from the NBA draft and is returning for his junior season, the school announced.

The 7-footer averaged 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season.

--The Martin twins, Caleb and Cody, are each returning to Nevada next season, the school announced.

Caleb Martin was named the Mountain West's player and newcomer of the year after averaging 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in his first season with the Wolf Pack. He transferred from North Carolina State following the 2015-16 campaign.

Cody Martin was selected as Mountain West defensive player of the year after averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.7 steals per game.

--Villanova forward Omari Spellman elected to remain in the draft after helping the Wildcats win the 2018 national title, the school announced.

Spellman averaged 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in his lone college campaign.

--Syracuse guard Tyus Battle announced he will withdraw from the draft and return for his junior season.

Battle led the Orange with an average of 19.2 points per game last season, though he was projected to be a second-round pick if he were to stay in the draft.

Battle was among a handful of prospects to work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

--Missouri forward Jontay Porter announced that he withdrew from the draft and will return for his sophomore season.

Porter averaged 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds and recorded a team-best 55 blocked shots. He is the younger brother of Michael Porter Jr., who entered and remained in the draft after an injury-plagued freshman campaign.

--Kentucky forward PJ Washington announced he pulled out of the draft and is returning for his sophomore campaign. Meanwhile, Wildcats forwards Wenyen Gabriel and Jarred Vanderbilt announced they will remain in the draft.

Washington averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds as a freshman. Gabriel averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds as a sophomore. Vanderbilt, also a freshman last season, averaged 5.9 points and 7.9 rebounds.

--Stanford forward Reid Travis announced he has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will play his final season elsewhere as a graduate transfer.

Travis informed Cardinal coach Jerod Haase of his plans on Tuesday night, ESPN reported. He averaged 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds last season.

Kentucky and Villanova are rumored as possible transfer destinations.

--Boston College guard Ky Bowman pulled out of the NBA draft and is returning for his junior season, the school announced.

Bowman averaged 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists last season, when he ranked fifth in the ACC in scoring. Bowman also made 80 3-pointers and accumulated 51 steals as a sophomore.

--Michigan guard Charles Matthews will return for his redshirt junior season, the school announced.

Matthews was second on the Wolverines in points (13.0) and rebounds (5.5) per game last season, behind only Moritz Wagner, who declared for the draft with the intention to hire an agent and won't return for his senior season.

--DePaul guard Max Strus pulled his name from the draft and will return for his senior campaign.

A cyclist rides past the KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., June 7, 2016. REUTERS/John Sommers II

Strus averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Blue Demons last season. He made 81 3-point baskets, second most in school history.

--Iowa State guard Lindell Wigginton announced on his Twitter account that he has withdrawn from the NBA draft and is returning for his sophomore season.

Wigginton averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists during a strong freshman campaign. His scoring average was the best in school history for a freshman.

--Clemson guards Marcquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell both withdrew their names from the NBA draft and are returning for their senior campaigns, the school announced.

Reed averaged a team-best 15.8 points and career-high 4.7 rebounds last season. Mitchell established career bests of 12.2 points and 3.6 assists and also averaged 3.9 rebounds for a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

--Purdue standout Carsen Edwards and teammate Nojel Eastern have pulled out of the NBA draft, the school announced.

Edwards was Purdue's team MVP and leading scorer (18.5 average) as a sophomore. The 6-foot-1 guard has 1,046 career points to become just the seventh player in school history to reach 1,000 in his first two seasons.

Eastern was a long shot to impress an NBA team after averaging 2.9 points in a reserve role as a freshman.

--Florida guard Jalen Hudson will return for his senior season with the Gators after flirting with leaving for the NBA draft, coach Mike White confirmed.
 

Hudson was the Gators' leading scorer last season at 15.5 points per game. He didn't receive an invite to the NBA Combine and was reportedly told he would not be drafted.

--Washington State forward Robert Franks announced he will return for his senior season.

Franks led the Cougars in scoring at 17.4 points per game last season. He added 6.6 rebounds per contest.

--Washington forward Noah Dickerson has withdrawn from the draft and is returning for his senior season.

Dickerson averaged 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds during a strong junior campaign. He ranks 29th in school history with 1,165 career points.

--UCLA guard Jaylen Hands and forward Cody Riley will return after pulling out of the NBA draft, the school confirmed.

Hands averaged 9.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season. Riley sat out the year serving his season-long suspension for his part in the shoplifting scandal in China. Their respective decisions came one day after fellow freshman Kris Wilkes pulled his name from the draft.

--Iowa forward Tyler Cook announced he will return for his junior season.

Cook averaged team highs of 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a game for the Hawkeyes last season.

--San Diego State forward Jalen McDaniels announced he will return for his sophomore season.

McDaniels averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Aztecs last season.

--Montana State guard Tyler Hall withdrew from the draft and will return for his senior season, the school confirmed.

Hall averaged 17.5 points last season and ranks third in school history with 1,861 points. He made 99 3-pointers last season.

--Western Kentucky guard Lamonte Bearden announced on his Twitter feed that he has pulled his name from the draft and is returning for his senior season.

Bearden averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 assists for a team that reached the NIT semifinals.

--Wyoming guard Justin James pulled out of the NBA draft and is returning for his senior season, the school announced.

James averaged 18.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season. He ranks 19th in school history with 1,355 career points.

--Hofstra guard Justin Wright-Foreman announced on his Twitter account that he has decided to return for his senior season after withdrawing from the NBA draft.

Wright-Foreman averaged 24.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season. He ranks 13th in school history with 1,379 career points.

--Field Level Media

[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.