White to remain in draft

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Ole Miss sophomore guard Terrico White will forgo his final two years of eligibility and remain in the NBA draft.

White is projected as a likely second-round pick with the potential to play his way into the first as the draft process evolves over the next month.

"My family and I have decided that it is best for me to stay in the upcoming draft," White said in a statement Wednesday. "This was a very tough decision to make. I would like to thank all of the coaching staff for giving me the chance to play at Ole Miss and for everything they have done for me over the past two years. I really love it at Ole Miss, and I will always be a part of the Ole Miss family. It really hurts for me to go, but this is what's best for my family."

The NCAA's deadline to withdraw from the draft is Saturday by 5 p.m. ET. The NBA withdrawal deadline is June 14, 10 days prior to the June 24 draft.

White was second on the Rebels in scoring at 15.1 points a game. The Rebels reached the NIT final four in New York, losing to Dayton in the semifinals.

"I was informed today by Terrico and his family that he intends to hire an agent and stay in this year's draft," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said in a statement. "They are comfortable with the information that they have received regarding his draft status and therefore will stay in the draft. Terrico is obviously a very talented young man who will always be a part of the Ole Miss basketball family."

White was the SEC freshman of the year in 2009.

The Rebels will lean even more next season on Chris Warren, the team's leading scorer at 17.2 points a game. The Rebels had Nick Williams sitting out and will also use Zach Graham, Trevor Gaskins and newcomers Donald Williams and Dundrecous Nelson in the backcourt.

White's departure comes on the heels of sophomore forward Murphy Holloway, the team's third-leading scorer, leaving for personal reasons.

Andy Katz is a senior writer who covers college basketball for ESPN.com.

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Andy Katz | email

Senior Writer, ESPN.com

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• Senior college basketball writer for ESPN.com
• 22 years covering college basketball, including on TV
• Former president of U.S. Basketball Writers Association