‘I know my time is now.’ Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans declares for NBA Draft.

University of Kentucky sophomore guard Ashton Hagans announced Sunday that he will forego his remaining college eligibility and enter his name in the 2020 NBA Draft.

“I just wanted to let you all know that even though I love Kentucky with all of my heart and really wish I could have played for a (championship), it’s time for me to live out my lifelong dream and declare for the NBA Draft,” Hagans said in a press release from the school. “It’s been my No. 1 goal since I first picked up a ball to take this step and I know my time is now. It’s so hard for me to say goodbye to the best fans in the world, because these last two years have been some of the best of my life.”

The press release did not confirm whether or not Hagans has hired an agent, but did specifically mention that he was surrendering his final two years of college eligibility.

In the release, UK Coach John Calipari said, “Ashton is ready for this. From where he was when he got here two seasons ago to where he is now isn’t even close. He’s a completely different player and he’s built his skills and his confidence to take that next step. We know what Ashton can do to change the game defensively and how much better he got offensively, but what’s going to separate him is his competitiveness. That kid is a winner. His competitive spirit drives him and is why I love him. If I’m going to battle, I’m taking Ashton.

“I wish we could have had the opportunity to chase his goals of a championship this season but I’m so proud of who Ashton has become. I’m happy for him and his family and will be behind them the entire way.”

Hagans averaged 11.5 points, 6.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game as a sophomore. He helped the Wildcats build a 25-6 record on their way to the Southeastern Conference regular-season title. Hagans missed the Wildcats’ final game of the season, a 71-70 victory at Florida in which they rallied from an 18-point deficit, for what Calipari deemed a “personal” issue. Hagans was expected to return to the team for its run in the SEC Tournament, but the season was abruptly shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic before Kentucky made its tournament debut.

“When I chose to come back for my sophomore year, I had some goals in mind,” Hagans said. “First was to win a national championship. You know it’s killing me that we didn’t get the chance to compete for one this season, but I understand why we couldn’t. But, just know, we would have been right there. The second thing we did, which was to win an SEC championship. I also wanted to become a better all-around point guard. My coaches and my teammates really helped me improve and now I know I’m ready to take the next step.”

Hagans is the first UK player from the 2019-20 team to declare for the NBA Draft. He’s currently projected to be selected in the middle of the second round in the HoopsHype.com aggregate, which compiles mock drafts from all the major media outlets. Junior forward Nick Richards and sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley are also projected as a second-round picks, while freshman guard Tyrese Maxey is predicted to go in the first round.

This story was originally published April 5, 2020 at 4:30 PM.