Kentucky's Young to enter NBA Draft

Apr 17, 2014 - 7:40 PM Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Kentucky swingman James Young has announced he will forgo his final three seasons of eligibility and enter the 2014 NBA Draft.

Young played an instrumental role in Kentucky's run to the NCAA Tournament championship game, where it was eventually ousted by Connecticut. A Final Four All-Tournament Team selection, he averaged 18.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in the Wildcats' two Final Four games while shooting 42.6 percent from 3-point range throughout the tournament.

"My time at Kentucky has been special to me, something I'll always treasure, but I feel that I'm ready to take the next step to the NBA," Young said. "I've learned more this year, on and off the court, about life from Coach (Calipari) and the staff and appreciate all of their guidance and support. I can't say enough about my teammates; the journey helped us build a bond that we will always share for the rest of our lives. I would like to thank the best fans in the country, the Big Blue Nation, and I hope you guys will continue to support me as I move on. I will always bleed blue. Succeed and Proceed!"

The 6-foot-6 Young averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the regular season en route to earning second team All-SEC honors.