Arizona's Mathurin declaring for NBA draft

Arizona standout Bennedict Mathurin will enter his name in the 2022 NBA Draft, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

It's unclear if Mathurin intends to forgo his remaining college eligibility during the process. However, as a potential lottery pick, the Montreal-born wing would be unlikely to return to school.

In a statement, the 19-year-old said he's "ready to take that step forward' in hopes of joining the NBA.

Mathurin led the Wildcats in scoring with 17.7 points per game during the 2021-22 regular season as a sophomore, starting in all 37 of his appearances. He also registered 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and one steal per contest while shooting 36.9% from deep and 76.4% at the free-throw line.

As a freshman, Mathurin averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while starting just 12 of 26 games.

The 6-foot-6 guard helped Arizona go 33-4 overall with an 18-2 record in the Pac-12. The Wildcats were a top seed in the NCAA Tournament but fell to fifth-seeded Houston in the Sweet 16.