Ashton Hagans Announces He'll Forgo 2019 NBA Draft; Return to Kentucky

Kentucky guard Ashton Hagans announced Tuesday he's returning to the Wildcats for the 2019-20 college basketball season rather than entering the 2019 NBA draft. 

"I'm back like I forgot my keys!" Hagans wrote on Instagram.

The 19-year-old Georgia native went through an up-and-down freshman campaign at the offensive end for the Wildcats. He averaged 7.7 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and only 27.5 percent from three-point range across 37 appearances (30 starts).

Ashton Hagans Highlight Reel

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Hagans, who arrived in Lexington as a 5-star prospect and the No. 12 overall recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, was a defensive force, though. His contributions, highlighted by 1.6 steals per game and terrific on-ball defense, led him to earn Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in the SEC alongside LSU's Tremont Waters.

He was rated the No. 30 player in the projected 2019 draft class by NBADraft.net before he announced his intention to play another season with Kentucky.

Ashton Hagans with 5 Points in the 1st Overtime against the Auburn Tigers

Hagans' return bolsters the Wildcats' chances in what was already shaping up as a promising 2019-20 season. They join the reigning champion Virginia Cavaliers as early co-favorites with 7-1 odds to win the 2020 NCAA tournament, per Vegas Insider.

On a personal level, the guard's draft stock could skyrocket with a sophomore campaign in which he makes a bigger offensive impact, especially if his outside shooting improves.