Bam Adebayo Enters 2017 NBA Draft Pool, Will Not Hire Agent

After a strong freshman campaign, Kentucky forward Bam Adebayo placed his name in the 2017 NBA draft pool Wednesday.

According to a Kentucky news release, Adebayo did not hire an agent, which means he has until May 24 to pull his name out of consideration and return to school.

Adebayo explained his decision in the press release written by Eric Lindsey of UKAthletics.com:

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I feel like I'm making the right step in declaring for the draft, but I want to be absolutely sure that I'm making the right decision for me and my mom. I'm looking forward to the process and I appreciate the support of the coaches, my teammates and the fans. No matter what happens, it's been an unbelievable ride.

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Kentucky head coach John Calipari expressed support for Adebayo following the announcement:

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Bam was our hardest worker this season. You're talking about a player who can guard all five positions, has more perimeter skills than people know, and someone with size and a physique that immediately translates to that league. Bam is a great kid with a ton of upside. Should he decide to stay in the draft, he will be an outstanding four man in the NBA. Every organization needs character and Bam is a high-character kid who only cares about winning.

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The North Carolina native averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Wildcats in 2016-17 while shooting 59.9 percent from the field.

In his latest mock draft released Tuesday, ESPN.com's Chad Ford projected that Adebayo will be picked No. 19 overall in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Should Adebayo remain in the draft, he will join teammates De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk in leaving Kentucky.

For more news, rumors and related stories about Bam Adebayo, the Kentucky Wildcats and college basketball, we recommend checking out the college basketball and Kentucky basketball streams on Bleacher Report's app.