Marcus Lee Withdraws from 2016 NBA Draft, Will Transfer from Kentucky

Wednesday was a good news-bad news day for the Kentucky Wildcats, as junior forward Marcus Lee will not be entering the NBA draft but is going to transfer from the school.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari confirmed Lee's decision with Eric Lindsey of UKAthletics.com:

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[Lee] informed us today that he is pulling his name out of the draft but has decided he is going to transfer to a school out west to be closer to his family. We talked it through together and discussed the team next season, which he said had no bearing on his decision. I also told him he was a semester away from graduating. With that said, he was still adamant that, after the combine experience, a year off and regrouping would be the best thing. As always I support my players and their decisions.

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Lindsey's report noted Lee has been granted a full release and that he will be allowed to transfer without restrictions. Jeff Rabjohns of Peegs.com reported Georgia Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Gonzaga and Iowa State were schools that "immediately" reached out to Lee after the announcement.

Lee, who was rated as a 5-star prospect in the 2013 recruiting class by 247Sports, attended Dear Valley High School in Antioch, California.

Entering his senior season this fall, Lee had a breakout year for the Wildcats last season. He averaged 6.4 points, six rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 68 percent from the field.

In April, Lee announced his intention to enter the NBA draft without hiring an agent. He did tell ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman his goal was to get drafted this summer: "I want people to know I am serious about this. I've talked to Coach Cal about this, and he definitely understands that I'm going to the NBA this year."

Despite coming off his best college season, Lee was not generating significant buzz in NBA circles. Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports ranked him as the 111th-best prospect.

The scouting report from ESPN's Chad Ford notes that Lee's negatives include needing to bulk up his 211-pound frame and the lack of a perimeter game, though Ford does praise his length and athleticism.

Transferring to another school will help Lee in his senior season as he seeks to impress scouts. He may not end up playing at a program as prolific as Kentucky, but it will be much easier to stand out on his own instead of being one of many McDonald's All-American stars.

Lee has never been a dominant college player in three years with the Wildcats, though that may have been a result of Calipari's system. Lee is going to have a spotlight all to himself at his new program, wherever that may be.