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Add Ben McLemore to the growing list of players declaring for the NBA Draft today.
The Kansas redshirt freshman will forgo his final three seasons of eligibility and enter the draft, making the announcement at a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
The St. Louis native made a huge impact during his one season in Lawrence, averaging 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 87-percent from the free throw line and picking up first team All-Big 12 Conference honors along the way.
His scoring average broke Danny Manning’s school freshman record that’s stood since 1985. McLemore was also tabbed to the Associated Press, Wooden, NABC, Lute Olson and USWBA all-american teams, according to the release.
Tough to argue with his decision, especially if you’ve read Eric Prisbell’s great story on the struggle of McLemore’s family, living in poverty and having one of his brothers in prison. He’s projected as a first-rounder by many mock draft sites, and that guaranteed three-year contract will go a long way to helping out his family.
Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten