LSU sophomore Jarell Martin reportedly plans to declare for the 2015 NBA draft. Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor, meanwhile, remains the consensus first overall pick of the draft following the first week of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
A last-second shot by NC State sent LSU packing after the second round of the NCAA tournament. Less than a week later, Martin reportedly plans to pack again.
"Two independent sources close to the Tigers' basketball program said Tuesday that sophomore Jarell Martin has decided to submit his name for the 2015 NBA Draft and forfeit the final two years of college eligibility," Randy Rosetta of NOLA.com wrote Tuesday. "One source said Martin has informed LSU coach Johnny Jones, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday night. The second source didn't know if Jones had been informed but confirmed that Martin has decided to leave."
Martin's early decision to forego his junior year came as a surprise, according to Rosetta. The 6-foot-10 forward was an integral part to LSU's success this season, averaging a team-high 16.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Those numbers also earned him a spot on the All-SEC first team.
While March Madness can be make-or-break for draft-bound collegiate players, the tournament seems to be further cementing Okafor's position as the projected No. 1 pick of 2015. He's averaging 23.5 points on 21-for-28 shooting through Duke's first two games of the tournament, leading a number of scouts and general managers to still have Okafor at the top of their lists.
"Okafor has been No. 1 all year in our Top 100. While his grip on the title of consensus No. 1 pick has loosened considerably thanks to the play of Karl-Anthony Towns, Okafor's performance continues to give him the slight lead among NBA scouts and GMs to be the No. 1 pick," ESPN's Chad Ford wrote Monday. "Okafor remains the most offensively dominant big man to go into the draft in a while."
The NBA draft is on June 25.
