Averaged 9.6 points per game
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 25, 2016) — University of Kentucky men’s basketball freshman guard Isaiah Briscoe announced today that he plans to return to UK for the 2016-17 season after going through the process of declaring for the NBA Draft, UK reports.
Briscoe utilized new NCAA rules that allow players to “test the waters,” Briscoe entered the NBA Draft without hiring an agent to protect his NCAA eligibility with the option of returning to school. Players had until 10 days after the conclusion of the combine to make a final decision based on the new rule between the NCAA and NBA so long as they didn’t hire an agent.
Briscoe joins Derek Willis, Dominique Hawkins, Isaac Humphries, Mychal Mulder and Tai Wynyard as 2016-17 scholarship returners.
“I really grew from this experience and I appreciate the opportunity to be evaluated by these NBA teams,” Briscoe said. “I also want to thank the coaching staff and the fans for their support during this time. The NBA is my ultimate goal, so I’m returning to build on last year. There’s no better place to grow as a player or to win a championship, and I want to do both.”
Briscoe averaged 9.6 points and 3.1 assists per game.
“After finishing up academically, Isaiah Briscoe used the new rules to the fullest by working out for eight different teams to get a true barometer on where he stands at this point in his career,” coach John Calipari said. “I can tell you all the teams were impressed with him physically, defensively, his rebounding ability, his strength, his ball-handling ability and his basketball IQ. He shot the ball well at the NBA workouts but will look to continue to improve that to take the next step in his career. With that said, he’s pulling his name out of the draft and returning to Kentucky as the leading scorer and rebounder. Without his impact and competitive spirit, last year’s team would not have been nearly as successful. I fully expect him to come back and be a leader on and off the court for this young team. I’m excited to have him back.”
Add Comment