ATHENS — Travis Leslie announced Tuesday his intention to remain in the NBA draft, and suddenly Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox finds himself in the midst of a rebuilding job.
Leslie and 6-foot-10 forward Trey Thompkins announced a week ago that they would turn pro, but Leslie said he might reconsider and would not sign with an agent.
Leslie’s decision to forgo his final season of eligibility means the Bulldogs will be without their two leading scorers next season.
Thompkins led the team in scoring (16.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.6 per game), and Leslie, a 6-4 guard from Decatur, averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
“It was my pleasure to coach Travis,” Fox said in a statement released Tuesday. “It has been a real joy to see him develop as a player the past couple of seasons. He has made a decision to pursue his dream, and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Fox declined further comment through a team spokesman.
But after the players entered the draft a week ago he was asked how next season’s team might look.
He said Georgia likely would sign one more recruit “for sure” during the spring signing period, which begins Wednesday, and left open the possibility of signing more if Leslie left. He said the decision would boil down to whether to use an open scholarship at this late date or save it for next year’s recruiting class.
“Now you have that scholarship to offer a year early, but you just found out about it here in the middle of April,” he said. “Is it wise to use that scholarship on someone left in the crop? Or do you hold it for the original class that you were going to use it?
“A lot will depend on who is available and really what we feel like is best for our program. This is a long-term process, and we need to make sure we make decisions with that in mind.”
Leslie leaves Georgia as one of the more exciting players in the SEC. He was known for his high-flying, rim-rattling dunks. One he executed as a sophomore over Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins crystallized him as Georgia’s most explosive player since Dominique Wilkins.
“I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game,” Leslie said. “Last but not least, I’d like to thank the Georgia fans for their support over the past three years.”
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