Big Ten Daily: Eric Ayala Withdraws from the NBA Draft, Will Return to Maryland
After taking advantage of the NBA Draft process and receiving enough evaluations about his future, Eric Ayala decided to return to Maryland for his senior season.
"I'm excited to announce I'll be returning to Maryland for my senior season," Ayala said in a release. "I took my time throughout this process and am appreciative of the feedback I received. I can't wait to get to work with our team and play in front of the best fans in the country once again!"
Maryland's Eric Ayala tells me that he is withdrawing from the 2021 NBA Draft and will return to college next season.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 30, 2021
Significant Big Ten news.
Ayala, an All-Big Ten guard last season, appeared in 29 games for the Terrapins last season, including 28 starts. He averaged a team-high 15.1 points per game while also recording 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest.
"I'm proud of Eric for taking his time throughout this process and obtaining the feedback needed to make an informed decision on his future," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. "Eric is one of the top guards in the Big Ten Conference and possesses experience at the highest level of college basketball that can't be taught. He will earn his degree from a top-notch university and continue to build on his tremendous basketball resume to set himself up for the future."
Maryland was one of the top teams in the conference during the 2020-21 season. The team finished with an overall record of 17-14, including 9-11 against league opponents.
The Terrapins earned six wins last February to earn a No. 10 seed in NCAA Tournament. Maryland defeated UConn in the first round before being eliminated by No. 2 seed Alabama.
With its top scorer returning, Maryland will look to compete with some of the best teams in the Big Ten next season.
Marcus Carr Withdraws From the NBA Draft, Will Transfer
Former Minnesota point guard Marcus Carr, who was among the top transfer targets in college basketball this spring, withdraw his name from the NBA Draft. According to reports, he is not expected to return to the Golden Gophers.
Marcus Carr is expected to withdraw from the 2021 NBA Draft and return to college next season, per his mentor Vidal Massiah.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 30, 2021
Carr is also in the transfer portal and will be one of the highest sought after transfers if he decides to leave Minnesota.
Minnesota made a head coaching change this offseason, hiring Ben Johnson to replace Richard Pitino after eight seasons.
Carr participated in the NBA G League Elite Camp in Chicago and had an impressive showing but wasn't invited to the NBA Combine.
The 6-foot-2 guard finished third with 19.4 points, 4.9 assists and four rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season. Minnesota finished with an overall record of 14-15, including 6-14 in the conference.
The Golden Gophers failed to make the NCAA Tournament last year. Their season ended with a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament.
Four-Star Cornerback Terrance Brooks Commits to Ohio State
Ohio State added another 2022 prospect from Texas to its recruiting class on Wednesday. Terrance Brooks, a four-star cornerback from Little Elm, Texas, pledged to the Buckeyes ahead of his senior season of high school.
Brooks, who is the son of former 49ers safety Chet Brooks, also had offers from Alabama, Texas, Florida and Oregon. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back is the eighth cornerback in the country and the 58th overall, according to 247Sports.
As of now, Ohio State has the No. 1 recruiting class for the 2022 cycle, headlined by five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers and five-star wide receiver Caleb Burton. Like Brooks, both players are also from Texas.
Recent Stories From Boilermakers Country
- BIG TEN DAILY, JUNE 30: Duane Washington forgoes his senior season with Ohio State to remain in the NBA Draft, Illinois governor signs names, image and likeness legislation and Tyler Underwood joins Illini basketball staff. CLICK HERE
- NCAA APPROVES NIL POLICY: On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved an interim policy for student-athletes to make money from their name, image and likeness. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.