Arizona basketball’s Pelle Larsson, ASU’s Marcus Bagley enter NBA Draft
Apr 25, 2023, 7:41 PM | Updated: 8:29 pm
Arizona State Sun Devils forward Marcus Bagley (23) looks to pass defended by North Florida Ospreys guard Jordan Preaster (4) during the college basketball game between the North Florida Ospreys and the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 15, 2021 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The NBA announced that 242 players declared for the draft as early entry candidates at Tuesday’s deadline, and players have until June 12 to withdraw and return to their schools.
Among the candidates were Arizona’s Pelle Larsson and Azuolas Tubelis, along with Arizona State’s Frankie Collins and Marcus Bagley.
Larsson, a 6-foot-5 wing, completed his second season with the Wildcats as a junior in 2022-23, making 18 starts and finishing third on the team in assists (3.1) and rebounds (4.3).
He earned the Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22 after transferring from Utah.
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He shot 36% from deep and 83% from the line in two years at Arizona.
Tubelis is expected to stay in the NBA Draft after he started 89 of 97 games played in three years with the Wildcats.
He was an AP Second Team All-American having averaged 19.8 points and 9.1 rebounds in 2022-23.
The 6-foot-11 Lithuanian forward was the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player this past season, scoring 19 points with 14 boards in the title game.
Meanwhile, Arizona State point guard Collins already announced his intention to enter the draft, saying in an Instagram post he wanted to pursue his NBA dream while holding on to college eligibility.
The guard transferred to ASU from Michigan ahead of the 2022-23 season and started 33 games for the Sun Devils.
Collins averaged 28.2 minutes per contest in which he produced 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Bagley has entered the draft before — after his freshman year at ASU in 2020-21. He also jumped in the transfer portal, but he ultimately returned to Tempe.
The grandson of ASU legend Joe Caldwell played 17 games in three seasons with ASU, as injuries plagued his first two campaigns. Last year, he suited up for only two contests, not playing after tweeting he said something to head coach Bobby Hurley that he regretted after his last game.
Both programs will deal with roster turnover next year, losing starters in the transfer portal.
Arizona’s point guard Kerr Kriisa will play for Bob Huggins at West Virginia. ASU’s DJ Horne transferred to NC State, Devan Cambridge to Oregon and Desmond Cambridge Jr. is out of eligibility.
ASU center Warren Washington announced he would declare for the draft, but he was not on the list. He still has eligibility to return to the Sun Devils.
The combine starts on May 31, so players can gauge their draft potential before deciding whether to remain in the mix or play college basketball another year.
The draft is set for June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Here is the list of early candidates.
