Rodney Purvis Declares for 2016 NBA Draft: Latest Comments and Reaction

Connecticut Huskies guard Rodney Purvis has declared for the NBA draft, the school announced Friday, becoming the third Huskies underclassman to do so this year. 

Like teammates Daniel Hamilton and Amida Brimah, who have also declared, Purvis will not hire an agent in order to retain his NCAA eligibility.

The redshirt junior could return for one more year if he wishes by removing his name from draft consideration 10 days after the NBA Draft Combine in May.

This year, the NCAA pushed back its deadline to allow players more flexibility to gauge their draft stocks. Players who do not hire agents are also allowed one tryout per NBA team without jeopardizing their eligibility.

UConn head coach Kevin Ollie believes the new rule benefits non-seniors by allowing them more leeway in determining if they’re ready to take the pro leap, per the school’s website:

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As I said before, I do like the rule because it gives them an opportunity to go against other great players and then sit down with a general manager and get a true assessment of where they stand. I just hope that they don’t sign with an agent right away, so it keeps their option open to go back to school with their eligibility.

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Purvis led the Huskies in scoring last year with 12.8 points per game but lost his starting role midway through the season. He still saw considerable time with 28.8 minutes per game and welcomed the new role, per UConn Report:

The Huskies went on to win the American Athletic Conference tournament and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before bowing out to top overall seed Kansas. Purvis played in all of the Huskies' postseason games. 

DraftExpress ranked him 79th among juniors, but he is more likely than Hamilton or Bridah to hire an agent and move on to the next level, according to Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant.

With the new NCAA protocol in place, Purvis’ decision makes sense. Utilizing the opportunity to meet with pro teams and gauge his draft stock will help him determine if now is indeed the time to go pro.