Syracuse University’s Malachi Richardson enters name in NBA draft, but won’t sign with agent

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Malachi Richardson, a freshman guard on Syracuse University’s men’s basketball team, plans to enter his name in this year’s NBA draft but will not sign with an agent, according to Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim.

“With the new rules, it’s an opportunity for Malachi to get a better understanding of where he would be in the draft,” Boeheim said in a news release issued Monday by Syracuse University Athletics.

Richardson, a 6’6, 205-pound wing player from Trenton, New Jersey, started all 37 games during his freshman year and played a key role in Syracuse’s run to the NCAA Final Four. That included his eye-popping, career-high 23-point performance against Virginia in the Orange’s come-from-behind win in the NCAA Midwest Regional final in Chicago. Richardson scored 21 points in the game’s second half.

For the full 2015-16 season, Richardson averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 34.4 minutes played per game. Richardson finished the year with 79 made 3-pointers, the third-best total by a freshman at Syracuse. He was named to the ACC coaches’ all-freshman team.

This year’s NBA draft combine will be conducted in Chicago, from May 11-15. College players can enter their name in the draft before April 24 and then will have until May 25 to withdraw their names, as long as they have not signed with an agent, according to the Syracuse Athletics news release. The new rules also permit players to participate in one tryout per NBA team before May 25.

The NBA draft will be held on June 23 in Brooklyn. The draft has two rounds, with 60 players being selected.

The website nbadraft.net projects Richardson to be selected with the 24th pick in the first round of the draft, according to its latest 2016 mock draft projection, dated April 15.

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