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Utah State small forward Jalen Moore announced on Friday that he will declare for the upcoming NBA Draft, but he will not be hiring an agent.
The NBA made a change to players who want to come out and early and not hire an agent by allowing them to go to the NBA Combine to see where they stand, and if they did not hire an agent can return to school.
"With the new rule, if it doesn't work out then I can pull out and attend my senior year at Utah State," Moore said. "This process will really help me get my name out there and will help people get to know me and get my game out there. It will be a great experience for me and will expand my game and help me to get better and will help the team if I end up returning."
In his junior year with the Aggies, Moore led the team for the second straight year with 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. By not hiring an agent, Moore can withdraw from the draft by May 25 and retain his eligibility.
Moore declaring was a surprise as he was not considered to be a draftable prospect coming out early, but heading to the combine will allow him to at least see where he stands among other players who are looking to make it to the NBA.
"It is always a lifelong goal of somebody who has played basketball as a kid to want to play in the NBA, it's everyone's dream," Moore said. "I have been working at it my whole life and I feel like this summer I have a decent shot."
Moore will get a shot to see after getting evaluated and training against other players in the draft evaluation period. If he does not get good feedback or feel he is ready then he can return to Utah State where the Aggies will have a solid team with three returning starters, and likely end up finishing his career as one of the most prolific scores in Utah State basketball history.