Oregon's Jordan Bell declares for NBA draft, will sign with agent

Oregon forward Jordan Bell has declared for the 2017 NBA Draft and plans to sign with an agent, the player announced Tuesday.

The junior is only weeks removed from a stellar showing in the NCAA tournament, which surely put a surge into his draft stock. Bell came up with several big performances for the Ducks during March Madness, including a near-triple-double game against Kansas in the Sweet 16. He finished that contest with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and eight blocks.

For the season, Bell averaged 10.9 points, 8.8 boards, and 2.3 swats. He's projected as a borderline first-round pick, but his off-ball activity and athletic prowess makes the 6-foot-9 Bell a very intriguing prospect.

Bell's departure is the latest in a string of exits from Eugene since the season ended. Freshman guard Payton Pritchard is set to be Oregon's only returning rotation player next year.