Auburn point guard Sharife Cooper declared for the 2021 NBA Draft on Friday.
The 6-foot-1 freshman point guard told ESPN he is hiring an agent and forgoing his remaining eligibility.
Cooper averaged 20.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 12 games with the Tigers in 2020-21, earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team.
He posted several tweets Friday thanking Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, his teammates and the fans.
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“Auburn is truly a special place and i’m proud i could say i went to school and found a second home here!” Cooper wrote, in part.
auburn fans . you wouldn’t understand how much i appreciate the love and support you guys showed before i even stepped on campus . Auburn is truly a special place and i’m proud i could say i went to school and found a second home here!
— Sharife Cooper (@CooperSharife) April 2, 2021
A native of Marietta, Ga., Cooper arrived in Auburn as a five-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American. He did not make his Auburn debut until the Tigers’ 12th game on Jan. 9 due to NCAA eligibility certification delays.
He is the second Tigers player to enter the draft, joining freshman forward JT Thor.
Cooper is considered one of the top point guard prospects in the NBA draft, which is scheduled for July 29.
–Field Level Media