Cumberland native Tyler Kolek will skip last college season, head to NBA Draft

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Tyler Kolek’s sterling college basketball career is over.

The two-time All-American, former Big East Player of the Year and former Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year will forgo a potential COVID fifth season and enter the NBA Draft. Kolek made the announcement Wednesday afternoon on his social media pages.

It’s been a rapid rise for the Cumberland native, who starred in high school with the Clippers and prepped at St. George’s before joining the Patriots. Kolek spent a lone season in Virginia before transferring into Shaka Smart’s rebuild with the Golden Eagles, and he proved to be the perfect fit at the point guard spot.

More: How good was Cumberland’s Tyler Kolek’s first weekend back in action? Historically good.

More: Hopes are high for Marquette’s Tyler Kolek. Here’s what the Cumberland native had to say.

Marquette guard Tyler Kolek drives the ball against Providence guard Garwey Dual during the game on Dec. 19 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Kolek, a Cumberland native, has declared for the NBA Draft.

“While I may be moving on to the next chapter of my basketball career, I will always cherish the memories and lessons from my time in Milwaukee and take tremendous pride in representing this special basketball program at the highest level moving forward,” Kolek wrote.

Kolek helped Marquette to a sweep of league and conference tournament titles in 2022-23 and a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24. He started 99 games in three seasons with the Golden Eagles, averaging 11.7 points and 7 assists while shooting 35.4% from 3-point range. Kolek’s career ended with a South Region loss to North Carolina State and he closed with a double-double, collecting 17 points and 10 rebounds.

“This guy sitting to my right is the best point guard in college basketball,” Smart said on the podium in Dallas. “It has been an absolute honor to coach him the last three years.”

Kolek was initially recruited at the mid-major level and had a connection with George Mason coach Dave…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cumberland-native-tyler-kolek-skip-214654818.html

Author : The Providence Journal

Publish date : 2024-04-10 21:46:54

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