STARKVILLE, Miss., April 8 (UPI) -- Mississippi State star Mario Austin said Tuesday he has hired an agent and will forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft.
Austin cited economic necessity for changing his mind about returning to school. The two-time All-Southeastern Conference center told the Clarion-Ledger last month he would return to Mississippi State for his senior year. But last Friday, he flew to California and signed with agent Bill Duffy.
The decision was based on Austin's family situation. The 21-year-old is the oldest of four children in a single-parent home in York, Ala. His mother, Deborah, has been hospitalized recently with complications from diabetes.
"It's time for me to take care of my family and do what's right," Austin told the Clarion-Ledge in Tuesday's editions. "I had been thinking about it for a long time. I based it on that. My mom can't work. She doesn't have any money to pay any bills. It's time for me to take care of my family."
The NBA has had a strong pull on Austin, who was considering going professional as a senior at Sumter County High in 2002 but eventually enrolled at Mississippi State. He withdrew from classes in spring of 2002 with the intention of declaring for the NBA draft before returning in April.
Austin averaged 15.5 points and 7.7 rebounds to earn first-team All-SEC honors this season for the Bulldogs. He did not play the first six games of the season after the NCAA re-opened a two-year-old case regarding his initial eligibility as a freshman.
The 6-9, 255-pounder told the Clarion-Ledger he plans to spend the next six weeks in California preparing for the draft, which is scheduled for June 26 in New York.
Duffy represented three of the top four picks in last year's draft, including the No. 1 overall selection, Yao Ming of China.
