UL-Lafayette's Elfrid Payton declares for NBA draft

UL-Lafayette guard Elfrid Payton has revealed his decision to enter the upcoming NBA draft. 

Payton released a statement Monday afternoon thanking the coaching staff and fans for their support during his collegiate career. 

"This has been a long and engaging process for both me and my family. First, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to make a decision like this. I would also like to thank my family, coaches, and the people close to me that have helped me gather information during this process," Payton stated via CBSSports.com.

"With that said, I am excited to announce that I will forgo my final year of eligibility at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and will be entering the 2014 NBA Draft. I sincerely want to say 'thank you' to my coaches, my teammates and most importantly the great Ragin' Cajun fans that have supported me during the last three seasons. This have been a great three years where I've grown up, both on and off the court. I will be Cajun forever. Thank you for everything." 

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 19.2 points this past season, and finishes his collegiate career having averaged 14.1 points, five rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.9 steals.