Ndiaye declares for draft

Mamadou Ndiaye, a 7-foot-6 junior center whose immense proportion helped elevate the UC Irvine men’s basketball program, is officially considering competing at the highest level next season.

Ndiaye, a two-time Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year who helped lead UCI to a pair of conference regular-season titles, one Big West Tournament crown and the school’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in three seasons, has filed paperwork to become eligible for the NBA Draft.

Ndiaye, however, is attending classes, and has not hired an agent, which allows him to return for his senior season, should he withdraw from the draft by May 25, UCI Coach Russell Turner said.

Yahoo sports first reported the first-team All-Big West performer with an 8-1 wingspan will test the NBA waters. Ndiaye can touch the rim by extending on his tip-toes.

Ndiaye, 22, whose 218 blocked shots rank first in UCI annals and No. 3 in Big West history, averaged 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game this past season. The native of Dakar, Senegal shot 67.3% from the field as a junior and has converted 66.8% of his 515 field-goal attempts since arriving from Brethren Christian High in Huntington Beach.

Ndiaye, named the Big West’s top defender in 2016 and 2014, also collected second-team NABC All-District 9 honors as a junior.

He helped lead the Anteaters (28-10) to a school single-season record for wins, nonconference victories (15) and road triumphs (13). UCI competed in the postseason for the fourth straight year, falling at Columbia, 73-67, in the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

UCI shared the Big West regulars-season crown with Hawaii, but lost to Long Beach State in the Big West Tournament semifinals.

The 2016 NBA Draft will be held June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

— From staff reports