UCLA’s Shipp to test NBA draft value

Josh Shipp became the fourth UCLA starter to make himself eligible for the NBA draft.

Seven hours before the 9 p.m. deadline to enter his name, UCLA released a statement Sunday from Shipp, who is a redshirt junior with one more season of eligibility.

“After speaking with my family and with Coach [Ben] Howland, I think I should test the NBA waters to get some feedback,” Shipp said. “I feel like it really can’t hurt me at this time.”

Shipp, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound swingman, averaged 12.2 points per game this season. Shipp, who played at Fairfax High, has undergone two hip surgeries in the last 30 months and went through a prolonged shooting slump during the second half of this season. At one point, Shipp missed 20 consecutive three-point shots.

He said during the season that his shooting slump was more a factor of opponents guarding him better and insisted his hips were fine.

Like teammates Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Shipp said he would not hire an agent. The draft is June 26 and underclassmen that don’t hire an agent and remain in good academic standing can withdraw from the draft by June 16 and retain their college basketball eligibility.

On Saturday, junior Darren Collison became the only starter from this season’s Pacific 10 Conference regular-season and tournament champion to announce he would return next season. Love and Westbrook, who are both projected as lottery choices, are expected to remain in the draft. Shipp is not yet projected as a first- or second-round pick.

This year, NBA teams are allowed to pay to bring players to their cities for private workouts.

“I’m at the later stages of my college career,” Shipp said in his statement. “I think it would be an advantage for me to test this year.”

diane.pucin@latimes.com