Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas announced on Friday that he will forego his senior season and enter the 2013 NBA Draft. The third-team AP All-American and first-team All-Big Ten performer led the conference in scoring at 19.8 points per game this year, and although he intends to return to finish his degree he decided it's time to make the jump to the professional ranks (via the Ohio State website):
"My three years at Ohio State have been the best years of my life," Thomas said. "I have grown tremendously as an individual and as a basketball player. I intend to return to finish my degree, but I believe that now is the best opportunity to pursue my dream and begin my career as a professional basketball player. I will always be a Buckeye and am blessed to be a part of the Ohio State University family."
Thomas is listed as a 6'7 hybrid SF/PF on Draft Express, and he's the No. 57 prospect on the top-100 list. Concerns about his ability to create offense one-on-one away from the rim, coupled with his lack of prototypical size, could limit his draft stock. He is considered a second-round pick by DX. Thomas finished his career at No. 9 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,630 points, and if he can develop an NBA three-point shot -- he finished 8th all-time in Ohio State history with 143 made threes -- he could become a productive wing player at the next level.
Visit Land-Grant Holy Land for more on Thomas' decision to leave Ohio State for the NBA.
More from SB Nation:
• Carmelo Anthony's bittersweet symphony
• Jeff Green breaks out for Celtics ... again
• Chris Bosh robbed during awesome birthday party
• Video playbook: Dwight Howard's defense is alive
• Andrew Wiggins is the anti-LeBron
• Lon Babby's greatest hits: Should Suns have kept him in power?