John Calipari & Tyler Herro comment on UK star staying in the NBA Draft

The Kentucky Wildcats have lost Tyler Herro for good.

On Tuesday, the UK freshman announced he would remain in the 2019 NBA Draft. This was always going to be the ending, so it was best for both sides that the decision was made now, giving UK more time to pursue other options if they arise.

With the announcement came a state from Herro, as he expressed his love for UK and getting to enjoy one of the best years of his life in Lexington.

“After exploring my options a little bit more and getting some immediate feedback, I’ve decided to remain in the draft. My hope was always to remain in the draft and begin my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA, but we wanted to be absolutely certain that taking that next step was in my best interests. After the information my family and I received, I believe that time is now and I’m ready to jump into that next stage of my life with both feet.

“This year was everything I had hoped for and more. Coach Cal and the staff challenged me to become a complete basketball player, and I truly believe I’ve done that and improved in all areas of my game. I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned to the next level.

“I have absolutely loved my time at Kentucky and I want to thank the Big Blue Nation for making a kid from Wisconsin one of your own. This place will always be a second home to me. To my teammates, thank you for pushing me every day and for always having my back. I’ll never forget the memories we made this season and I’ll bleed blue with you forever.”

Head coach John Calipari also released a statement on Herro choosing to pursue his NBA dreams.

“As I said last week, Tyler is wired and driven like few other players I’ve coached,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “Tyler was such a pleasure to coach this year because he didn’t let anyone else define what type of player he was; he defined what type of player he was going to be. He made the decision and put in the effort to become a complete basketball player who can score on the bounce, who can shoot it, who can defend and who can rebound. It’s his total package that will make Tyler successful at the next level. I’ve loved coaching him and I can’t wait to see what he does at the next level.”

Herro joins PJ Washington in staying in the draft for good. Expect to see Herro announce a signing tour very soon.