Red-shirt freshman Jalen McDaniels, arguably one of the best players on the San Diego State men’s basketball team, has declared his eligibility for the 2018 NBA draft.
The starting forward won’t hire an agent, though, to preserve his NCAA eligibility. He’s testing the waters to see what the NBA thinks of him.
“After thoughtful consideration with my family, I have decided to enter my name into the 2018 NBA Draft,” McDaniels said. “Testing the waters allows me to get feedback directly from NBA teams.”
He has until June 11 to withdraw his name. Players are allowed to enter and withdraw their names multiple times without jeopardizing their eligibility. They’re also allowed to participate in the participate in the NBA Draft Combine and one NBA team tryout per year.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher said. “This allows him to see what the NBA thinks of him and what improvements he can make in his game.”
McDaniels has played in all 33 games this season with 21 starts. He averaged 10.5 points per game with a team-best 7.5 rebounds and shooting at a team-high 58.6 percent from the floor.