Minott declares for NBA draft

After one season at the University of Memphis, Jamaican international basketballer, Josh Minott, will be heading to the NBA.

Minott declared for the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday after a freshman campaign that saw him average 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds in 33 games which included five starts. While born in Florida, Minott has represented Jamaica at the youth level, specifically at the 2019 CentroBasket Under-17 tournament. In an Instagram post, Minott said that he was grateful to the school for assisting him on his NBA journey.

“I want to start by thanking God for the opportunity to play the game of basketball. I’d like to thank all the friends, family, coaches and supporters that have helped me to reach where I am today. I’m extraordinarily grateful to coach Penny Hardaway, the coaches and staff of the Memphis Tigers basketball programme. I would like to thank my teammates for pushing me and forming the brotherhood that I will value for the rest of my life,” Minott said. “To the Memphis fan base, I can’t thank you enough for welcoming me into your family and creating a surreal environment filled with love. I hope that you can understand and respect my decision.”

In an interview with ESPN on Thursday, he said that, while he will still retain his college eligibility, he will not be returning to Memphis. If he decides to opt out this year, he will enter the NCAA transfer portal where he will be allowed to begin the recruiting process. While disappointed that he didn’t get as many minutes as he would have liked to display his abilities, he said that he is looking forward to getting an opportunity in the NBA.

“I feel like I could have shown more with that talent I know I have. But that is what the future is for,” Minott said. Minott played a total of 25 minutes in their last four games, which included the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Memphis made their first tournament appearance since 2014 but were beaten by Gonzaga University in their second-round game last weekend.

Minott was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team, based on his performances this season. Minott was generating a buzz before the 2021-22 season with mock drafts projecting him to be an early first-round pick.

The 2022 NBA combine will be held from May 16-22 in Chicago, while the 2022 NBA draft will be held on June 23 in Brooklyn, New York.