Potential No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz declares for NBA draft

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Markelle Fultz isn't going to wait any longer than he has to in order to become a professional.

The standout freshman guard for Washington announced Friday that he has elected to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft, becoming the first of what is anticipated to be many young stars joining this year's draft class.

"After sitting down with my mom and the coaching staff, I've made the decision to enter the NBA draft," Fultz said in a video posted to Twitter. "Although this season hasn't gone as planned, it's really, truly been a blessing to be here, and I learned plenty of life lessons on and off the court ... I'm always going to be a Husky for life."

Arguably a potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, Fultz has been sidelined for weeks with a knee injury, missing the Huskies' final four games of the regular season. Prior to his injuries, Fultz was a lone bright spot for a Washington team that finished second-to-last in the Pac-12 with a 9-22 record.

In 25 games, Fultz averaged a stellar 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks, proving that the freshman from Upper Marlboro, Md., can do absolutely anything on the court that he wants to.