Alabama's Keon Ellis, Iowa's Kris Murray to enter NBA Draft

Alabama guard Keon Ellis, who has one year of college eligibility remaining, will go pro rather than staying in school for another year. Ellis has hired EZ Sports Group for representation, the agency announced earlier this week, making him draft-eligible this June.

The No. 48 prospect on ESPN’s big board, Ellis averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 33 games (30.9 minutes) in 2021-22 for the Crimson Tide and earned a spot on the SEC’s All-Defense team.

Another prospect in ESPN’s top 100, Iowa sophomore forward Kris Murray, has also declared for the 2022 NBA draft, but he’ll maintain his college eligibility and just test the waters for now, he announced on Twitter.

Murray, who comes in at No. 98 on ESPN’s board, barely played in his freshman year, but emerged as a rotation player in 2021-22, averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds on .479/.387/.645 shooting in 35 games (17.9 MPG). His twin brother Keegan Murray, a projected top-10 pick, declared for the draft last month.

Here’s more on the draft:

• Jeremy Woo of SI.com, who shared his latest 2022 mock draft this week, has Jabari Smith going to Houston at No. 1 overall, followed by Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren.
• Stony Brook junior guard Anthony Roberts will forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the draft, he announced. Playing for his third program in three years, Roberts was the Seawolves’ leading scorer in 2021-22 with 16.3 PPG.
• Agent Misko Raznatovic has announced that two of his Croatian clients — point guard Lovro Gnjidic and forward Leo Menalo — have declared for the draft (Twitter links). Neither player is a top-100 prospect, per ESPN. They’ll have until June 13 to withdraw from the draft, if they so choose.
• Here are some other players who recently announced they intend to test the draft waters this spring:
  • Efe Abogidi, C, Washington State (sophomore) (Twitter link)
  • Keve Aluma, F, Virgina Tech (senior) (link via Mark Berman of The Roanoke Times)
  • Khalif Battle, G, Temple (sophomore) (Twitter link)
  • Donald Carey, G, Georgetown (senior) (Instagram link)
  • Jalen Cook, G, Tulane (sophomore) (Twitter link)
  • Kevin Easley Jr., F, Duquesne (junior) (Twitter link)
  • Gideon George, F, BYU (senior) (Twitter link)
  • Ques Glover, G, Samford (junior) (Twitter link)
  • Andre Kelly, F, California (senior) (Instagram link)
  • DeMarr Langford Jr., G, Boston College (sophomore) (Twitter link via Jason Smith)
  • KC Ndefo, F, St. Peter’s (senior) (link via Adam Zagoria of NJ.com)
  • DeAndre Williams, F, Memphis (senior) (Instagram link)