SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis turning Pro

The NBA can add another name to the long list of NBA Draft entries as SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis announced Tuesday that he will forego his final two seasons of eligibility.

Portis dominated SEC competition, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest guiding the Arkansas Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

The 6-foot-10 big man made the news official via Twitter.

Porter is projected by most NBA Draft analysts as a sure fire first-round selection and is likely to be selected in the middle portion of the opening round.  The Hogs star has excellent length and athleticism that allows him to not only score on the offensive end, but alter shots defensively as well.

His 6-foot-10 frame is always highly cherished by NBA franchises, however, it may take some time for Porter to adjust to the professional game.

On the other end of the spectrum, Arkansas will be faced with the difficult task of replacing one of its premier players in program history.  In a year dominated by the Kentucky Wildcats, Portis was the lone outlier leading the Razorbacks to a second place finish.

Arkansas made their first trip to the Big Dance since 2008, and it was primarily based on Portis’ efforts.

The Razorbacks must move forward quickly as they await the decision of Michael Quells, whose excellent NCAA Tournament could have him thinking about taking the NBA leap.  If both players end up leaving, head coach Mike Anderson will be faced with a serious rebuilding project and another long NCAA Tournament hiatus could be on the horizon.

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*Featured Photo (above) credit to Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas leading scorer Perry Ellis will return to school
Kansas leading scorer Perry Ellis will return to school