Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. says he is declaring for the NBA draft.
The 6-foot-10 forward made the announcement on Instagram on Monday “after talking it over with my coaches and my family.”
Missouri was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Florida State in the opening round. The freshman scored 16 points in 28 minutes as a reserve, just his third appearance of the season due to a back injury.
Porter played two minutes in the team’s opener, then had lower back surgery Nov. 21. He returned for the SEC Tournament, scoring 12 points in a loss to Georgia.
“I wish I could have been on the floor with my brothers every single night,” Porter wrote. “But I’m so thankful I’ve been a part of such a special group.”
Porter was a McDonald’s All-American in high school after averaging 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds per game his senior year. He was expected to be a one-and-done player, though the back injury threw some uncertainty into his draft stock.
WSU’s Franks tests waters
PULLMAN — Washington State forward Robert Franks says he intends to declare for the NBA draft, but will not hire an agent.
The junior posted his decision on his Twitter account Monday. Franks says his dream is to play at the next level and, “I’m ready to pursue my dreams.”
Franks was a breakout star in an otherwise down season for the Cougars. He averaged 17.4 points per game, good for seventh in the Pac-12, and was named the most improved player in the conference. Franks averaged just 6.3 points per game as a sophomore.
Where Franks plays in the NBA will be the question. He’s 6-foot-7 with a long wingspan and has improved his outside shooting, making 40.5 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.
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