Pac-12 Player of Year Nowell to enter NBA draft

[April 01, 2019]    Guard Jaylen Nowell, the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year, is taking his game to the NBA, he announced Sunday on Twitter.

The Washington sophomore guard, named to the All-Pac-12 first team, said he will enter the 2019 NBA Draft, set for June 20.

Nowell averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists, and he shot 50.2 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from the 3-point line.

Washington Huskies guard Jaylen Nowell (5) looks to move the ball in the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

"This season has been nothing less than amazing," Nowell said in the statement, indicating that the decision came after input from his family, teammates and coaching staff.

"I want to thank everyone, especially the city of Seattle, for your support. I hope you all will continue to support me through my professional career. I will always be a Dawg for life," Nowell said.

Projections have indicated that Nowell could be drafted as early as the middle of the first round.

Said Washington coach Mike Hopkins about Nowell, also in a statement, "When he chose to stay with us two years ago and come to the University of Washington, we have seen him grow every single day, both on and off the court."

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.