TJ Warren to Enter 2014 NBA Draft

RALEIGH – T.J. Warren, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year and one of college basketball’s top scorers, has announced he will enter the NBA Draft.

“I would like to thank my coaches and teammates at NC State for allowing me to compete for this great university. It’s been a fun ride the last few years. I’ve had some great experiences and now I feel I’m ready to play at the next level. Playing in the NBA has been a lifelong dream of mine and playing at NC State has prepared me well to achieve my dream.”

The 6-8 Warren was third in the nation and led the ACC in scoring with 24.9 points per game. He also led the ACC in field goal percentage, becoming the third player in conference history to lead the ACC in scoring and field goal percentage in the same season. He set school records for points in a single season (871) and games with 20+ points in a season (31).

“I am extremely proud of T.J. He has developed tremendously as a person and as a player over the last two years,” NC State head coach Mark Gottfried said. “He has matured and become a special player to coach. I truly believe he was the best offensive player in the nation this year, and although he is a great scorer, his rebounding and defensive improvement are often underappreciated. I am excited for T.J. and want the very best for him. I believe in him and will miss having him in our program.”

The sophomore forward showed tremendous commitment to improvement during the offseason. With the loss of four proven veterans from the 2012-13 NC State team, Warren lost 20 pounds knowing that he would have to carry a larger load this season. As a result, he increased his scoring average 12.8 points per game, from 12.1 last year to 24.9 this season.

Warren also led the ACC with a .622 field goal percentage as a freshman and was an all-freshmen team pick a year ago. His performance this season made him the sixth player in league history to lead the ACC in field goal percentage two years in a row.

The ACC’s leading scorer saved his best for the final weeks of the regular season. After scoring 36 during an epic overtime loss to North Carolina, Warren scored 41 points in a win at Pittsburgh on March 3. Six days later, he poured in a career-high 42 in a win over Boston College. It marked the first time since 1990 that a player from an ACC school scored 40 or more points in consecutive games. In all, Warren averaged 25.5 points per game in 17 ACC contests and was voted to the ACC Men’s Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team.

The NBA Draft will be held Thursday, June 26 in New York City.