Freshmen guards Gradey Dick and Jalen Hood-Schifino declare for NBA Draft

Freshmen college basketball stars Gradey Dick and Jalen Hood-Schifino are entering the 2023 NBA Draft, they confirmed Friday on social media.

Both players excelled in their first and only years of college basketball, earning second-team all-conference honors in the Big 12 (Dick) and Big Ten (Hood-Schifino) respectively.

And with both players projected lottery (top-14) picks after strong seasons, they’ll now embark on their pro careers with the draft set for June 22.

‘As a kid from Kansas, I have fulfilled my goal of playing at my dream college,’ Dick wrote on Instagram. ‘I cannot thank Jayhawk Nation enough for the love and support you have shown to me and my family.’ 

‘I will always have Kansas in my heart but I now have to chase the ultimate dream that I have had since I first started playing ball.’

Gradey Dick was named to the Big 12’s all-freshman team after a strong season for Kansas

Jalen Hood-Schifino is expected to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft after a strong season too

Kansas guard Dick was named to the Big 12’s all-freshman team after averaging 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 40.3 percent from three-point range.

Indiana’s Hood-Schifino, who posted a similar stat line – 13.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest to go along with 3.7 assists – also issued a statement on Instagram announcing his decision.

‘From start to finish, my freshman season has been nothing short of amazing,’ it read in part. ‘To the fans and people in Bloomington, you welcomed me with open arms. I can’t thank you enough.

‘This is an experience I’ll take with me and remember forever. No matter where basketball takes me, I’ll always be an Indiana Hoosier.’

Kansas native Dick said that he’d played at his ‘dream college’ after spending a year at KU

And Hood-Schifino called his freshman year at Indiana ‘nothing short of amazing’

Both players lost in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament, with Dick’s No. 1-seeded Kansas falling to Arkansas and Hood-Schifino’s Indiana being downed by Miami.

Nonetheless, both players have shown they can contribute when it matters.

Hood-Schifino scored 19 points in the Hoosiers’ second-round March Madness loss, while Dick scored over 20 points in conference games vs. Oklahoma State, Baylor, Iowa State and Texas.

The pair will look to impress NBA scouts at the league’s draft combine in Chicago from May 15-21.