Jerami Grant is leaving Syracuse after his sophomore season, the school announced Monday.
The 6-foot-8 Grant is considered a first-round pick, and multiple NBA executives told ESPN.com that he will likely be taken in the 15-to-25 range of the June 26 NBA draft.
Grant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season and will join point guard Tyler Ennis in leaving school for the NBA. Ennis will depart after just one season and is also projected as a first-rounder. The Orange will also lose senior C.J. Fair.
"After extensive discussions with my family and coaches, I have decided to pursue my dream of playing professional basketball and enter the 2014 NBA Draft," Grant said in a release issued by Syracuse. "I am so thankful to Coach Boeheim and the rest of the Orange coaching staff for guiding me throughout my college career, and am grateful to my teammates for two incredible seasons. I am excited to start my journey in the NBA, but I also look forward to finishing my college degree. I cannot thank my coaches, teammates and the entire Orange community enough for all of their support."
Syracuse will likely start another freshman, Kaleb Joseph, at the point next season. Coach Jim Boeheim will return big men Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman and will also have shooting guard Trevor Cooney and reserve wing Michael Gbinije back. Look for freshman forward Tyler Roberson to have an increased role and also for incoming freshman Chris McCullough to make an immediate impact.
The Orange finished 28-6 last season and lost to Dayton in the round of 32.