Maryland men’s basketball guard Aaron Wiggins is declaring for the NBA draft, he announced on Instagram Friday afternoon. He will still retain his eligibility to play for the Terps.
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Wiggins was Maryland’s second-leading scorer last season, averaging 14.5 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting. He also finished second on the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and 2.8 assists per game, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors.
The junior struggled to find his rhythm early, as coach Mark Turgeon’s squad toiled in early conference play. Wiggins scored two points on 1-of-11 shooting on Feb. 5 as the Terps dropped their contest with Penn State, falling to 4-8 in conference play.
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But as Maryland broke out of its stupor, so did Wiggins. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native, exploded in the second half of the Big Ten slate, scoring at least 17 points in seven of the Terps’ last 12 games.
Much of that scoring came inside the arc. Wiggins, long viewed as a three-point marksman of sorts, showed off an improved handle, routinely darting and spinning into the lane with ease. He hit 51.4 percent of his two-point shots, by far the best rate of his career.
The Terps benefited as well, reeling off five straight wins midseason en route to an NCAA tournament appearance. And when the lights were at their brightest, Wiggins shined. He scored a career-high 27 points in Maryland’s blowout loss to Alabama, a lone bright spark in a poor Terps performance.
Now he takes the next step, testing his mettle against the best prospects in the world. Wiggins is expected to compete in the NBA draft combine, scheduled to take place June 21- 27. From there, Wiggins will have until July 19 to withdraw from the draft pool.
