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Jayson Tatum's stay at Duke lasted all of one season as the freshman forward declared on Wednesday that he is entering the 2017 NBA Draft. The school took to social media to initially deliver the news, tweeting a picture of Tatum with a quote from coach Mike Krzyzewski.
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"I absolutely loved coaching Jayson Tatum," Krzyzewski's quote read. "His skill set and work ethic will make him a star in the NBA."
Tatum, who could be as high as a top-five pick in the June draft, feels he's ready for the bright lights of the NBA.
"I'm excited to take the next step in pursuing my lifelong dream of playing basketball at the highest possible level," Tatum said Wednesday, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Tatum averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 29 games with the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-8 St. Louis native missed the first eight contests of the campaign with a foot sprain, but rebounded to score in double figures in all but three of the remaining games.
Tatum averaged 22 points during Duke's four-day run to the ACC tournament title. He had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Blue Devils' NCAA Tournament-opening victory over Troy, but was limited to just 15 and three, respectively, in the ensuing loss to South Carolina.
