Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin declares for NBA Draft after standout sophomore season

Bennedict Mathurin led the Arizona Wildcats to a 33-4 record and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona sophomore Bennedict Mathurin is entering the NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-6 guard is a projected lottery pick after a breakout season during his second year in Tucson. He led the Wildcats with 17.7 points per game and shot 45% from the field.

The Canadian-born Mathurin posted his decision on social media Wednesday, writing “it has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA and I am ready to take that step forward.”

Mathurin was a big reason Arizona finished with a 33-4 record this season and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to Houston 72-60.

Thank you Arizona for everything ❤️ pic.twitter.com/EJD44IWshy

— Bennedict Mathurin (@BennMathurin) April 13, 2022