Maryland basketball forward Bruno Fernando will return to College Park for his sophomore season, the school announced Monday.
The deadline for players like Fernando — who entered the draft without hiring an agent — to withdraw their name from the draft pool is Wednesday at midnight. Thus coach Mark Turgeon won’t have to wait long before learning if guard Kevin Huerter, who also entered the draft without an agent, will be a Terrapin for another year.
Fernando earned a spot on the All-Big Ten freshman team after a season in which he made 20 starts, averaging 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
The 6-foot-10, 233-pound forward attended the NBA Draft combine in mid-May. But Fernando wasn’t expected to be a first-round pick this year, generally being viewed as a more intriguing 2019 draft prospect.
Fernando’s return to Maryland means the Terps should have a formidable frontcourt in the 2018-19 season. Forward Justin Jackson has left for the draft, but Maryland will still have Fernando and five-star forward Jalen Smith. Mississippi State transfer Schnider Herard will join them on the inside in January.
Huerter, meanwhile, seems to have a tougher decision. He raised his draft stock significantly with a standout combine performance, is consistently a first-round projection and has worked out for multiple NBA teams.
