Junior forward Jarrey Foster will enter the 2018 NBA Draft, although the SMU Mustangs star is not planning on hiring an agent at this time.
Teams around the country wait with bated breath for NBA Draft decisions at this time of the year. SMU Mustangs star Jarrey Foster just made his.
The small forward told ESPN that he was planning on entering the 2018 NBA Draft. He did not say, however, that he would be hiring an agent at this time, preserving his ability to return to SMU for his senior season.
Whether or not he pursues either option remains unclear. Foster shot up draft boards at the beginning of the season, only to see his year-end on the sideline. He partially tore his ACL in January, affecting both the Mustangs and his NBA Draft stock.
Foster averaged 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during his shortened junior season.
The latest mock draft on NBADraft.net suggests Foster will not be selected by an NBA team in June. If that’s the case, he could return to school for his final year.
“To stay in the draft, I would have to be confident that I will be drafted in a spot that I am in a good situation,” Foster told ESPN. “If I can get into the second round, that would be ideal.”
Right now, the only SMU Mustang expected to be drafted is Shake Milton, himself reportedly declaring for the NBA Draft on Monday.
Without them, SMU loses two of their top three scorers from the 2017-18 campaign, leaving only rising senior Jahmal McMurray among that group.
The team didn’t have a great year, finishing 17-16 and failing to compete in postseason play. If their rising seniors return to the team, however, an NCAA Tournament berth is well within reach in 2018-19.
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NBA prospects have until a week and a half before the draft to withdraw.