Syracuse freshman point guard Tyler Ennis met with head coach Jim Boeheim on Thursday and informed him he will enter the NBA Draft.
“Tyler’s talked it over with us and he’s decided to enter the draft,” his father, CIA Bounce coach Tony McIntyre, told SNY.tv by phone Thursday.
Syracuse later issued a statement making it official.
“I’d like to thank Coach Boeheim, the coaching staff, my teammates and the amazing fans of Syracuse for the opportunity to play at a great university like Syracuse,” said Ennis. “I feel this experience has helped prepare me to fulfill my lifelong dream – to play in the NBA.”
The 6-foot-2 Ennis, who averaged 12.9 points 5.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds in his lone season at Syracuse, is projected anywhere from 6-15 in the Draft, his father said.
Chad Ford has the former St. Benedict’s Prep star at No. 9 in his Mock Draft, and DraftExpress.com has him at No. 14.
“He has a great tempo on offense and is totally under control,” one veteran NBA scout told SNY.tv after Syracuse lost to Dayton in the Round of 32 on Saturday in Buffalo. “He’s smart, has a decent skill set. Needs to get stronger. Clutch player. Will have a big adjustment on the defensive end.”
Leo Rautins, the Toronto Raptors TV analyst and a fellow Canadian, believes Ennis is more than ready for the NBA.
“Oh, yeah, he’s ready and I’ve talked to enough NBA people where he’s anywhere from as high as 6, maybe even higher to a 13,” Rautins told SNY.tv before Syracuse lost. “I’ve talked to enough poeple to where if he crept up higher, it wouldn’t surpise me at all because they just see his value and I think they see the same thing that he can run a team.”
**Click here for a mini-documentary on Tyler Ennis from his time at St. Benedict’s Prep.
