Syracuse basketball’s Tyus Battle enters name in NBA draft

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Tyus Battle, the 6’6 sophomore guard who led Syracuse basketball in scoring this past season, has decided to enter his name in the 2018 NBA draft, the Syracuse basketball program confirmed today.

The New Jersey native will not hire an agent and will be able to return to school for his junior season if he withdraws from the draft by May 30 at 11:59 p.m., the NBA Draft’s early entrant withdrawal deadline.

The Syracuse basketball program’s official Twitter account tweeted out its support of Battle.

Battle, who will turn 21 in September, is likely to participate in the NBA’s pre-draft combine in Chicago from May 16-20.

Battle averaged 19.2 points per game in the 2017-18 season, in leading the Syracuse Orange to a 23-14 record and appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where Syracuse reached the Sweet 16. He led all NCAA Division 1 players in average minutes played at 38.7 minutes. The guard shot 40 percent from the field, 32 percent from three-point land, and 84 percent from the free-throw line.

Battle has scored 1,097 points in his two-year Cuse career, averaging 15.5 points per contest.

Online 2018 NBA mock drafts have Battle projected as being picked anywhere from late first round to middle of the second round.

Coming out of high school, the major recruiting services ranked Battle between No. 25 and No. 40 among the best high-school players entering the college ranks in the fall of 2016.

Tyus is the son of Gary and Daniella Battle, according to his Syracuse University roster bio. He’s enrolled in the university’s School of Information Studies and majoring in information management and technology.

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