Creighton forward Doug McDermott announced he'd return to the school for his senior year on Thursday. The All-American, who finished second in the country in scoring during the 2013 campaign, revealed his decision at a press conference at the school. There he shared the following:
Doug McDermott bypassing NBA draft, will return to Creighton for senior season
An All-American announced his return to school on Thursday afternoon, potentially shaking up the entire 2014 college basketball season in the process.
“Finally, I just said, ‘You know what, I’m coming back,’” McDermott said. “I’ve had enough of this. I’m ready to make this decision. This is where my heart is. The NBA can wait. I feel like I can play there someday, but this is an opportunity I can’t pass up.”
The news is a boost for a Blue Jays club that finished their final season in the Missouri Valley at 28-8 overall, with a Round of 32 loss to Duke in the NCAA Tournament. McDermott ended his junior year as Creighton’s leading scorer (23.2 points per game) and rebounder (6.6 boards a contest) on his way to being an All-American by a number of different outlets.
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More importantly, McDermott’s return helps soften the blow of several other key players, as the school gets set to transition out of the Missouri Valley and into the Big East. The Blue Jays will be joined by seven of the league’s current members, as well as Butler and Xavier, for the 2014 season.
McDermott's return should help the Blue Jays on the offensive end, where they lose both center Gregory Echenique and point guard Grant Gibbs. The pair was Creighton's second- and third-leading scorers respectively during the 2013 season.
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