North Carolina freshman Nassir Little declares for 2019 NBA Draft

April 1 (UPI) -- North Carolina Tar Heels freshman Nassir Little declared for the 2019 NBA Draft after one season at the school.

Little announced his decision to forego his remaining college eligibility on social media Monday.

"This past season on and off the court has been amazing," Little wrote on Twitter. "The University of North Carolina is a special place and I'm thankful for the opportunity to attend such a prestigious university and play for such a storied basketball program. I want to thank everyone that has helped me throughout this entire process of pursuing my goal of playing college basketball.

"With that said, it is time for me to pursue my lifelong dream and enter the 2019 NBA draft. I am ready now to put everything I have into being the best player I can be at the next level. Although this is the end of my college basketball career at North Carolina, I will forever have Tar Heel blood running through my veins! I hope that you can respect my decision and wish me success on this journey!

"Again, thank you everyone and Go Tar Heels!"

Little came off the bench this season while battling injuries. He played just 18 minutes per game behind All-America candidates Cameron Johnson and Luke Maye.

Little averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds this season while shooting 48 percent from the field. The 6-foot-6 forward shined in the NCAA tournament, averaging 14.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 17 minutes per game across three tournament contests. He had a 20-point outing in the Tar Heels' second-round win over Washington.

ESPN has Little at No. 16 on its rankings of the top 100 NBA Draft prospects. Sports Illustrated lists him as the 12th-best player in the upcoming draft.