Arizona junior forward Brandon Ashley jumped into the NBA Draft as expected today, announcing his decision via statement from the school.
But unlike first-round prospect Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who announced his plans to leave Tuesday, Ashley may have to work his way on to an NBA roster without any guarantee.
Ashley is not projected to be taken in the June 25 NBA Draft by Draft Express and ESPN, though NBAdraft.net lists him at No. 40. Only first-round picks are assured of a guaranteed contract, while some high second-round picks are offered them, as UA's Nick Johnson was last summer after Houston took him at No. 42.
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“After giving it much thought and talking with my mother and my coaches, I have decided to enter the NBA Draft,” Ashley said in a UA statement. “I am very proud of my time at Arizona, especially of the success I’ve had with my Wildcat brothers over the last three years. I want to thank Coach (Sean) Miller, the coaching staff, the administration, the fans and the city of Tucson for an incredible college experience and unforgettable support.
“During my time as a Wildcat, I have grown both on and off the court, which has made me a stronger athlete and person today. I know this is the right time for me to make the move to the NBA, and I will continue to be one of the hardest working guys out there until I fulfill my lifelong dream of playing at the highest level.”
Ashley was believed to be headed for professional basketball last season before he suffered a season-ending foot injury. He returned to play all of last season, becoming UA's second-leading scorer with an average of 12.2 points a game.
Ashley's personal career highlight may have arrived last month when he was named Most Outstanding Player of the Pac-12 Tournament. He averaged 19.7 points per game on 73.1 percent shooting from the field over three tournament games and scored a career-high 24 points in the semifinals against UCLA.
“We support Brandon’s decision to declare for this year’s NBA Draft. Brandon had a major impact on all three of the teams that he played on during his time at Arizona,” Miller said in a statement. “Watching him overcome the injury he sustained during the 2013-14 season and then have the type of junior season he had was one of my proudest moments as a coach.
“His performance in this year’s Pac-12 Tournament is a sign of many things to come in his future, and we know he’ll be a success in his professional career moving forward. We will miss Brandon’s consistency and maturity off the court in so many ways. In the classroom, he has put himself in a great position to earn his degree and in our community, he was as likeable and engaging as any player we’ve had.”
Ashley is not listed in Draft Express' Mock 2015 NBA Draft and is rated the No. 95th best prospect overall and the No. 36 junior in college basketball by the scouting-oriented website. ESPN does not list him among its Top 100 Draft prospects and has him at No. 142 overall.
While UA held a news conference Tuesday to announce Hollis-Jefferson's plans, Ashley was not available for comment. UA's statement said he was "attending to family obligations" in his hometown San Francisco area.
UA may also lose Stanley Johnson and center Kaleb Tarczewski to professional basketball this spring. Miller said Tuesday that he was aware "a long time ago" that his entire starting five might be leaving this spring.
