Georgia Basketball: Bulldogs’ Caldwell-Pope to Enter NBA Draft

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Coach Mark Fox, photo by Sonny Kennedy, www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/

University of Georgia sophomore Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has declared for the 2013 NBA Draft, head coach Mark Fox announced Monday. He will also hire an agent and remain in the draft, effectively ending his career as an amateur.

Caldwell-Pope, a 6-5 guard from Greenville, Ga., became the first Bulldog since Dominique Wilkins in 1981 to sweep the major Southeastern Conference Player-of-the-Year awards this past season. He led Georgia and ranked second in the SEC in scoring at 18.5 points per game. In what became his final collegiate game, he scored a career-high 32 points against LSU in the SEC Tournament. That total made him the 43^rd player in UGA history to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career.

“I want to thank the University of Georgia for all it has done for me,” Caldwell-Pope said. “I want to thank my coaches, teammates and fans for the love and support.”

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, photo by Sonny Kennedy, www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/

Caldwell-Pope also led the Bulldogs in rebounding, steals, minutes played, as well as field goals, 3-point field goals and free throws made. He ranked among the SEC’s leaders in nine of the 13 categories for which individual stats are kept. In addition, he was one of just nine players in all of NCAA Division I to have scored in double figures in each of his team’s games in the 2013 season.

“It’s been a pleasure to coach Kentavious and to see him grow as both a player and a person,” Fox said. “I wish him nothing but success as he pursues his dreams. He will always be a part of the Georgia family.”

The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 27.

All photos copyrighted property of Sonny Kennedy, sonnykennedyphotography.com/