Baylor's Austin declares for draft

Apr 22, 2014 - 11:04 PM Waco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Baylor center Isaiah Austin became the latest underclassman to enter the 2014 NBA Draft, with Bears head coach Scott Drew announcing the 7-foot-1 center's intentions on Tuesday.

The Big 12's leader with 119 blocked shots in 2013-14, Austin had two years of college eligibility remaining.

Austin averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over 73 games at Baylor and finishes his career tied with current NBA player Quincy Acy for the second-most rejections (177) in school history.

The highly touted Dallas-area recruit also set a Big 12 record with 18 blocks at this year's conference tournament and was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team as a sophomore. Austin was also a key contributor to Baylor's 2013 NIT Championship squad and helped the Bears reach the Sweet 16 of the most recent NCAA Tournament.

"Our coaching staff really enjoyed working with Isaiah for his two years at Baylor University, and we want to thank him for his tremendous contributions to Baylor basketball," said Drew. "His versatility and defensive prowess helped us win an NIT Championship and make a Sweet 16 appearance. He's a tremendous player and a great role model in the community, and we look forward to watching him as he takes the next step to the NBA."

Austin is seeking to become the third Baylor player in the past five years to be taken in the first round, along with Ekpe Udoh (2010) and Perry Jones III (2012).