Shabazz Muhammad leaving UCLA for NBA

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LOS ANGELES, April 16 (UPI) -- Freshman Shabazz Muhammad, who led UCLA in scoring last season, said he is leaving the Pac-12 school and making himself eligible for the NBA draft.

Muhammad missed three games at the start of the season due to eligibility issues but ended the season with a team-high 17.9 points per game average. He was named to the All-Pac-12 first team.

"I am so thankful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play at UCLA and will always be proud to be a Bruin," Muhammad said in a statement Tuesday. "From a young age, I have dreamed of playing in the NBA and I believe that this is the right time for me to move to the next level."

Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 native of Los Angeles, helped the Bruins to a 25-10 record and Pac-12 regular-season championship this season.