Maryland freshman Bruno Fernando has declared for the NBA draft but will not hire an agent, the school announced Friday.
Less than a week after sophomore Justin Jackson announced he would forgo his final two years of eligibility to pursue a professional career, Fernando followed suit, although he will hold off on hiring representation so that he may still return to school after testing the waters. Fernando will have until May 30 to make that decision; until then he’ll be eligible to attend the NBA draft combine in Chicago and conduct individual workouts with teams.
This move comes as no surprise after the 6-foot-10 big man put together a promising freshman campaign in College Park, with some analysts projecting Fernando to be a first-round pick should he keep his name in the draft. His departure would have major implications for a Maryland roster that has already lost Jackson, as well as redshirt junior guard Dion Wiley to transfer. While incoming McDonald’s all-American Jalen Smith is expected to help fill the void left by Jackson at power forward, Maryland is still chasing potential replacements for Fernando on the graduate transfer market. Those include St. John’s transfer Tariq Owens, a talented big man who took an official visit to College Park last weekend, but is also considering Texas Tech and is in Lubbock. Tex., this weekend.
[ Maryland forward Justin Jackson declares for NBA draft; guard Dion Wiley to transfer ]
“Bruno and I have had a number of conversations regarding his decision to explore the NBA Draft,” Maryland Coach Mark Turgeon said in a statement. “We support him in this decision and will continue to guide him throughout this process. This direct evaluation will help provide Bruno an honest assessment of where he stands among NBA teams. Upon gathering all of the information, Bruno will be able to make the best decision for his future.”
Fernando, a late bloomer who started to blossom on the court as a teenager in his native Angola, averaged 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds this past season, a bright spot for a Maryland team that missed the postseason for the first time since 2013-2014. Those rebounds and a 57.8 shooting percentage led all Big Ten freshmen, while Fernando’s 1.2 blocks per game ranked third among all first year players in the conference.
[ Bruno Fernando makes big strides for Maryland basketball. But will he feel pull of the NBA? ]
While Fernando’s durability was a question mark early in the season, he overcame multiple ankle injuries and established himself as an energetic presence for a young team that struggled with injuries and inconsistency.
Fernando is the third Maryland player in as many years to test the NBA draft waters without hiring an agent. Former Terrapins guard Melo Trimble went through the process after his sophomore year before eventually returning to school in May 2016. Jackson followed suit last May, returning for his sophomore year despite a promising showing at the draft combine in Chicago. Maryland is also awaiting word on whether sophomore guard Kevin Huerter might test the draft waters, although its largely expected that he will be back in College Park for his junior season.
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