Baylor Bears center Isaiah Austin will forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and declare for the 2014 NBA Draft, Jason King of Bleacher Report tweeted on Tuesday.
Baylor’s Isaiah Austin to declare for the NBA Draft
The lanky, shot blocking center for the Bears will skip his remaining two years and try his luck in the NBA Draft.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Baylor soph center Isaiah Austin will enter the NBA draft, sources tell @BleacherReport . Austin wouldve gone last season if not for injury.
— Jason King (@JasonKingBR) April 16, 2014 The lanky, 7'1 center averaged 11.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game for the Bears last season. He was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, but lost out on Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year to Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid.
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This is essentially the second time Austin has been involved in draft talk. After his freshman year, most people in Baylor were ready to move on without Austin as he was projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick. Unfortunately, Austin tore the labrum in one of his shoulders and decided to return to school.
Austin was solid in all three games Baylor played in the tournament this year, but his line is pretty indicative of how his career has progressed. Austin showcased flashes of brilliance and complete domination in the post, like in a win over Kansas State this year where he finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and nine blocks. Often times, Austin puts up good stat lines, but good doesn’t scream NBA bound.
Still, he has the potential, and at 7’1 he has the height to compete in the NBA. Austin has a rather slight frame and would need to add more muscle if he wants to hold his own against the larger centers of the NBA. Much of Austin’s offensive numbers went down this past season, but he established himself as one of the more dominant Big 12 shot blockers, leading the conference and finishing fourth in the nation with 118.
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