UK announces Bam Adebayo signing with agent and remaining in 2017 NBA Draft

Kentucky Wildcats freshman forward Edrice ‘Bam’ Adebayo announced Tuesday he will officially hire an agent and remain in the 2017 NBA Draft, forgoing his remaining eligibility at Kentucky.

“After talking with Coach Cal, the staff and my family, I have decided it’s in my best interest to remain in the draft,” Adebayo said via a press release. “This process we went through at Kentucky was a tough but a rewarding one. It was everything I wanted when I decided to come to Kentucky.

“It taught me a lot. It taught me how to be a better man on and off the court. I have improved so much since the beginning of the season thanks to the hard work of the coaching staff. They helped me with every step of the process along the way and they never gave up on me.”

In his one season at Kentucky, Bam averaged 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds per game. He also led UK with 1.5 blocks per game and eight double-doubles.

“I also want to thank my teammates. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to grow with,” said Adebayo. “We were all like brothers. I also want to thank the fans for their support and everything they do for us. Their passion is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”