Indiana’s loss to Maryland in the NCAA championship will turn out to be Jared Jeffries’ last game as a Hoosier.
The IU forward announced yesterday that he will declare himself eligible for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years at Indiana.
“All my life, I’ve had two dreams,” Jeffries said. “The first dream was to hear my name called on graduation. The second was to hear my name called for the NBA draft. I never could have imagined that I would get an opportunity to play NBA basketball so early.”
Jeffries, the Big Ten Player of the Year, will enter the draft as only a sophomore. This season he led his Hoosier team with averages of 15 points and seven rebounds per game. In the NCAA tournament, Jeffries tallied 24 points and 15 rebounds in the Sweet Sixteen against Duke, but was held to just eight points in IU’s loss to Maryland in the championship game.
“I realize that in no way am I a finished basketball product,” Jeffries said. “I know I must develop in order to meet the demands of NBA basketball, but there is no looking back now. Nothing in this life is guaranteed. All I can do is work as hard as possible and let God do the rest.”
If Jeffries needs any additional encouragement, he will also have the support of his Indiana coach.
“I fully support Jared’s decision,” IU head coach Mike Davis said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I know that Jared will make the best of it. I plan to keep in touch with him throughout his career, and he knows that I am always here if he ever needs me.”
While the Big Ten Player of the Year will realize his dream of playing in the NBA now, he promises to follow through on his dream of earning a college degree as well.
“I want to reiterate that it is my intention to get my degree sooner or later,” Jeffries said. “I promised my parents when I committed to Indiana that I would receive my degree, and nothing will stop me from realizing that dream. It will be the happiest day of my life when I walk down that aisle with my degree and greet my mother.”
This is the second straight year Indiana has lost an underclassman to the NBA. Junior Kirk Haston entered the draft last season.
