TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona has lost its second underclassman and starting forward in as many days after junior Brandon Ashley announced Wednesday his decision to declare for this summer's NBA Draft.
"After giving it much thought and talking with my mother and my coaches, I have decided to enter the NBA Draft," Ashley said in a written statement from Arizona's athletic department. "I am very proud of my time at Arizona, especially of the success I've had with my Wildcat brothers over the last three years. I want to thank Coach (Sean) Miller, the coaching staff, the administration, the fans and the city of Tucson for an incredible college experience and unforgettable support.
"During my time as a Wildcat, I have grown both on and off the court, which has made me a stronger athlete and person today. I know this is the right time for me to make the move to the NBA, and I will continue to be one of the hardest working guys out there until I fulfill my lifelong dream of playing at the highest level."
Ashley was said to be at a family function in his hometown of San Francisco, which is why there was no press conference. Miller said on Tuesday he thought Ashley's public decision would come sometime this week.
Ashley had what he called an "up-and-down season" this year -- a year after he suffered a season-ending foot injury when Arizona was the No. 1 team in the country in 2014 -- but came on late to have the best season of his UA career.
He averaged 12.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and scored in double figures 28 times.
Ashley is projected to be a second-round pick, at best, by draft analysts.
On Tuesday, sophomore forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson declared for the draft. Hollis-Jefferson is projected to be a first-round pick.
"We support Brandon's decision to declare for this year's NBA Draft," Miller said in a statement. "Brandon had a major impact on all three of the teams that he played on during his time at Arizona. Watching him overcome the injury he sustained during the 2013-14 season and then have the type of junior season he had was one of my proudest moments as a coach.
"His performance in this year's Pac-12 tournament is a sign of many things to come in his future, and we know he'll be a success in his professional career moving forward. We will miss Brandon's consistency and maturity off the court in so many ways. In the classroom, he has put himself in a great position to earn his degree and in our community, he was as likeable and engaging as any player we've had."
Ashley finished his career at Arizona averaging 10.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game.
Since arriving to UA six years ago, Miller has seen six players leave early for the NBA: Derrick Williams, Grant Jerrett, Nick Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Hollis-Jefferson and Ashley.
He might not be the last of this year's team. It's expected that freshman Stanley Johnson will declare in the coming days. He's long been thought of as a one-and-done player. There is still no word on junior center Kaleb Tarczewski's future. Like Ashley, Tarczewski is not projected as a first-round selection.
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