WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University basketball player Zach Edey announced Tuesday his plan to enter the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
Edey, the winner of the men's college basketball player of the year for the Associated Press and John R. Wooden Award, tweeted the announcement April 18 at 12:48 p.m.
According to ESPN, Edey has until May 31 if he wants to withdraw from the draft and return to the Boilermakers for his senior season.
The 2023 NBA Draft will be held Thursday, June 22 in Brooklyn, New York.
Below is Edey's full statement:
"My basketball journey has been unorthodox to say the least, but I wouldn't change a thing about it.
From ranked 437 in my class to National Player of the Year, I can't put into words what Purdue University, my teammates, my coaches, and our fans mean to me. Though we fell short of our ultimate goal this season, I loved every second of it.
With that being said, I'm putting my name in the NBA draft while maintaining my college eligibility. I will evaluate my future after going through the process and look forward to what's next."
The 7-foot-4 Edey was the first player since David Robinson of Navy in 1987 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocks in a single season.
Although Purdue won the men's Big Ten tournament, the team lost to Farleigh Dickinson in the NCAA Tournament's first round, joining Virginia in 2018 as the only No. 1 seeds to lose to a No. 16.