RENO, Nev. — Nevada guard Marcelus Kemp has decided to withdraw from consideration for the 2007 National Basketball Association Draft and return to the University of Nevada for his senior year, he announced Sunday night.
“After going through the entire process, I have decided the best thing for me is to return to Nevada for my senior year,” Kemp said. “I have received feedback from the NBA as to what I need to work on and I intend to use that to better myself as a player. I am looking forward to pursuing my degree and coming back to compete with my teammates for another WAC championship.”
Kemp earned first-team All-WAC honors this season after ranking second on the team and third in the league in scoring at 18.5 points per game. He led the Wolf Pack in three-pointers made (84) and was fourth in the WAC in three-point percentage at 40.6 percent. He ranks fourth on the Nevada career list with 157 three-pointers made and 10th in career scoring with 1,280 points.
“Marcelus has used the NBA early-entry process exactly as I feel one should. He has learned how he can get better in the eyes of the NBA and he will,” Nevada head coach Mark Fox said. “He is excited about the things he can still accomplish at Nevada, and we are looking forward to helping him.”
Kemp had announced his intention to declare for the NBA Draft on April 19 but did not hire an agent to maintain his collegiate eligiblity. He participated in the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., earlier this month and had until the underclassmen deadline of Monday, June 18 to make his decision.
A starter in 51 of 101 career games, Kemp has helped Nevada to three WAC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in his three years on the court. After missing two seasons to injury (2002-03 and 2004-05), he has been granted a sixth year of eligibility for the 2007-08 season.
Kemp will be the lone returning starter from last year’s team which won a school-record 29 games, won its fourth consecutive WAC regular-season title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
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