Mizzou's DeMarre Carroll Withdraws Name From NBA Draft
5/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 30, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri forward DeMarre Carroll announced that he has withdrawn his name from the 2008 NBA Draft and will return to Mizzou for his senior season.
With his official announcement, Missouri returns all-five of its starters from the final 12 games of the 2007-08 season and boasts a large incoming recruiting class of six players. That recruiting class has been ranked among the Top 25 nationally by various recruiting gurus. Also joining the program is Delaware transfer Zaire Taylor. Taylor will be eligible after sitting out last season per NCAA transfer guidelines.
"The draft process was a beneficial experience for me," Carroll said. "I was graduating in May, so the timing really made sense. I was able to put my name out there, get some information from NBA teams and continue preparing for next season at the same time."
Carroll was named the Big 12 Conference's Newcomer of the Year in 2008 after leading the team with 6.7 rebounds per game and ranking second with 13.0 points. Noted for his blue-collar style of play in the paint, Carroll ranked among league leaders in a number of statistical categories, finishing fourth in field goal percentage (.536), seventh in double-doubles (four), ninth in rebounding and 17th in scoring. The Birmingham, Ala., native was the team's most consistent low-post scorer, reaching double figures 22 times, including four 20-point efforts. In a double-overtime win against Iowa State, Carroll recorded a career high 26 points, six of which came in the deciding second overtime to lead Mizzou to the thrilling win. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward also proved to be an outstanding all-around threat, finishing second on the club with 36 steals, while tying for the team lead with 21 blocked shots. A junior on the hardwood, Carroll will graduate from Missouri in May.
"In visiting with DeMarre he is looking forward to his senior season," Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "The rules allow him to get information and feedback from NBA organizations and now he gets a chance to work on those things. To me, his charge is becoming the best basketball player he can be, and he'll do that through his off-season workouts and by setting a leadership standard for the number of young players entering our program next season."
For more information on Mizzou Basketball, please visit our website, mutigers.com.
