Arizona Basketball freshman KJ Lewis declares for NBA draft, maintains eligibility

Following a rather solid freshman season, Arizona Basketball wing KJ Lewis declared for the NBA Draft; however, he will leave the door open to potentially return.

In a bit of a surprising move, star Arizona Basketball freshman KJ Lewis has officially declared for the NBA Draft, while taking a strategic step to maintain his collegiate eligibility.

Making news via social media on Tuesday afternoon, Lewis announced he would be testing the waters in the NBA Draft, and the decision is a significant one, especially if he were to receive a promising draft grade.

A dynamic and athletic guard, Lewis showcased his potential this season, displaying spurts of explosive athleticism and raw potential throughout the year.

At the moment, KJ Lewis being drafted seems unlikely; however, there is no harm in the Arizona Basketball freshman being evaluated by scouts.

Arizona Basketball has endured a bit of turnover this offseason, and KJ Lewis is just the latest in a long list of Wildcats that is exploring his options. A standout as a freshman, KJ finished his year averaging 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field, including 34.1 percent from three.

While the decision to declare for the NBA Draft may seem a bit pre-emptive, the key element here is that he will still maintain collegiate eligibility, meaning he won't sign with an agent, and has the ability to withdraw from the draft before the deadline. This flexibility allows Lewis to explore his professional options, get a grade, and potentially return to school with things to work on and improve upon.

As Lewis explores the NBA Draft, all eyes will be on Tommy Lloyd and Arizona Basketball as Lewis navigates the Draft process and the roster continues to take shape this off-season.

As it stands, the Wildcats will lose Keshad Johnson (Graduation), Oumar Ballo (Indiana), Filip Borovicanin (transfer), Pelle Larsson (NBA Draft), Kylan Boswell (Illinois), Paulius Murauskas (transfer), Dylan Anderson (transfer), and Caleb Love & KJ Lewis (for now). It should be an interesting couple of weeks!

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