Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ declares for 2018 NBA Draft, will not hire agent
Ethan Happ has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean he’s leaving Wisconsin just yet.
Wisconsin junior Ethan Happ has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, but will not hire an agent. pic.twitter.com/J4YmtL0qdG
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 3, 2018
Declaring for the draft without hiring an agent means Happ will be able to go to the NBA Draft Combine in May to receive feedback from scouts before deciding whether to return to Wisconsin or go pro by May 30.
“Ethan and I have talked multiple times about his future and our coaching staff fully supports his decision to explore the NBA draft, Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said in a statement. “This is a great opportunity for him to gather information directly from the source, NBA personnel.”
Happ is coming off a junior season during which he was the overwhelming focal point of Wisconsin’s offense following the departures of Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. Happ’s points per game went up from 14 to 18, and was used on 36 percent of Wisconsin’s possessions, an increase from 28 percent in 2016-17.
“I’m contemplating declaring just so I can go to the combine,” Happ told Land of 10’s Sean Keeler after Wisconsin’s loss to Michigan State. “I’m not really sure of anything past that.”
Happ is either a second-rounder or an unranked prospect on most mock drafts, and does not appear to be in a huge hurry to leave Madison.
“Before the combine, I would say [scouts say] probably [I’m] a second-round pick,” Happ told Keeler. “That’s not where I want to be. So if the combine doesn’t change that, then I’d probably say I would come back.”
