Michigan forward Ignas Brazdeikis will enter the NBA just one season at the school.
Brazdeikis will hire an agent as he explores the pre-draft process.
“As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an NBA player — not just an NBA player, but an NBA All-Star,” Brazdeikis told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “My intent is to be drafted this year as high as I can be and start my journey.
“I never really thought about the NBA this past year because I was so focused on being the best player I could be for Michigan. But now that the season is over, I’m excited to focus on the tremendous opportunity in front of me.”
Michigan had appeared in the top five of many early rankings for next season, but those were made under the assumption that Brazdeikis would return to school. It would be a significant setback for the Wolverines if Brazdeikis keeps his name in the draft, as he was expected to be a huge part of their team next year and potentially one of the nation’s most prominent players.
