Josh Selby’s career at Kansas is over.
The highly touted freshman, who was suspended for the first nine games of the season by the NCAA, has decided to declare for the NBA draft — and will hire an agent.
“It's a new journey in my life now. I will not return to Kansas next year,” Selby tweeted. “Making my dream a reality. #NBA baby.”
“When the season was over, Josh, his family and I spoke quite candidly about what he wanted to do,” Kansas coach Bill Self said in a statement Thursday. “He made it very clear that he wanted to go to Las Vegas and work out to see if he could get more information of his NBA draft status. He did exactly what we agreed for him to do and handled it well and has come to the conclusion that it’s best for him to go ahead and enter into the 2011 NBA draft.”
Selby was considered a potential lottery pick coming out of high school in Maryland but never seemed to fit in with Self and the Jayhawks.
Selby had his moments — including a 21-point performance in his college debut against Southern Cal — but struggled with injuries and was benched in favor of veteran guards Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar down the stretch.
“I never coached a kid that went through as much stuff his freshman year as Josh has — everything from a broken hand to a nine-game suspension to missing 20 practices and a stress reaction in his foot later in the season that limited his movement for the remainder of the season,” Self said.
Selby has been in Las Vegas working out for the past week.
Selby was suspended by the NCAA for taking impermissible benefits, and his NBA stock has fallen this season — especially after he averaged only 7.9 points and played less than than 12 minutes per game in the final nine games.
Several NBA executives said Selby could still be taken late in the first round but is more likely to be selected in the second round.
