Kentucky’s Mashburn to Turn Pro After Season
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jamal Mashburn, the key player in the University of Kentucky’s return to national prominence, will forgo his senior year and turn pro after this season.
“It seems like I won’t be coming back next year to University of Kentucky basketball,” the 6-foot-8 junior forward said at a news conference Thursday. “It seems like I’m ready.”
Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino has said all season that this will be Mashburn’s last in a Kentucky uniform.
“We’ve been very honest from Day 1,” Pitino said. “We said if Jamal is one of the top picks, he’s going pro. I think everybody has a good taste in their mouth because they haven’t been misled.”
Mashburn entered Kentucky as a freshman after the school was put on probation by the NCAA and banned from postseason play and averaged 12.9 points in helping the Wildcats to a 22-6 record.
Last season, he led the team to a 29-7 mark and the NCAA East Regional final, averaging 21.3 points. This season, Mashburn is averaging 22.0 points and 8.5 rebounds for the No. 2-ranked Wildcats (20-3).
Pitino says Mashburn will be among the top three selections in the NBA draft.
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