Shane Larkin Declares for 2013 NBA Draft

Miami Hurricanes star point guard Shane Larkin will forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2013 NBA draft.

Miami basketball released the news via Twitter:

ESPN's Andy Katz broke the news on Friday, noting that Larkin's father, ex-Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin, was made aware of his son's intentions.

A press conference originally scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. may be pushed up now that Shane's plans to go pro are public knowledge.

Larkin was the catalyst for the Hurricanes' best season in program history, as they won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title along with the conference tournament.

Although they bowed out to Marquette in the Sweet 16, it was still a phenomenal year for Larkin, who averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest.

According to Katz, the superb sophomore campaign should be enough to land Larkin in the first round of the draft. It makes sense, since Michigan's Trey Burke and Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams are the only better options at the point guard position.

Whichever NBA squad gets Larkin will have a capable distributor who rebounds better than his 5'11" size would indicate and, most importantly, is a fantastic shooter.

Larkin has legitimate pro range from beyond the arc and shot 40.6 percent from three-point land in his final season in Miami. That was an eight-percent increase from the year prior.

There is also a certain tenacity and aggressiveness that Larkin brings to the hardwood. He needs to put on more strength to continue being an effective perimeter defender at the next level, but his instincts and on-court awareness are undeniable.

Since he likely won't be chosen until the latter part of Round 1, Larkin will have time to develop as a bench contributor for a likely playoff contender, with the upside to eventually be a quality starter.