Kentucky announced that junior forward Marcus Lee will remove his name from the 2016 NBA Draft but plans to transfer to complete his collegiate eligibility at another school.
Upon completing his paperwork to withdraw from the draft, Lee will be granted a full release with no restrictions.
“Marcus Lee informed us today that he is pulling his name out of the draft but has decided he is going to transfer to a school out west to be closer to his family,” head coach John Calipari said. “We talked it through together and discussed the team next season, which he said had no bearing on his decision. I also told him he was a semester away from graduating. With that said, he was still adamant that, after the combine experience, a year off and regrouping would be the best thing. As always I support my players and their decisions.”
Isaiah Briscoe earlier announced on Twitter he would return to Kentucky for his sophomore season.
Lee averaged career highs in points per game (6.4), rebounds per game (6.0), total blocks (59) and total assists (11), but he would be competing with a loaded frontcourt group that includes returners Tai Wynyard, Isaac Humphries and Derek Willis and newcomers Bam Adebayo, Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones.
“I want to thank the University of Kentucky, the basketball staff and the Big Blue Nation for supporting me over the years,” Lee said. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come to this decision, but I’m trying to do what’s right for me and my family. I’ll always think fondly of my time at Kentucky.”
Lee had said at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago that he believed Kentucky would go undefeated if he returned.
“Our team would be amazing,” he said. “I honestly don’t think we’ll lose at all next year if I return.”
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