[Strikeout King]

UK guard Jodie Meeks has decided to remain in the NBA draft and will not return to UK for his senior season.


"I want to thank the fans and the city of Lexington. They have been great and I will always be a Kentucky Wildcat," said Meeks. "I feel comfortable with my decision and I'm confident in my ability. My family and I talked over the weekend and decided this was the best decision."
Meeks led the Cats in scoring last season and was projected by many to be a pre-season All-America pick if he were to return to school. He has worked out for several NBA teams, and has said that if he felt he'll be selected in the first round, he would stay in the draft. Meeks' name is not mentioned in most internet mock drafts as a first round selection.
Meeks had until 5 p.m. Monday to withdraw his name from the draft if he had decided to return to school.


Meeks, a 6-4 guard, will be the first UK underclassmen since Randolph Morris and Rajon Rondo in 2006 to enter the NBA Draft.
Meeks led the SEC and ranked eighth in the country in scoring, averaging 23.7 points per game. He set the school record for points in a game (54 at Tennessee) and three-pointers in a season (117), while also shooting an SEC best 90.2 percent from the free throw line. Starting all 36 games this season, Meeks led the SEC in two other offensive categories including three-point field goal percentage (40.6) and three-point field goals per game (3.25).


A Second-Team All-American, Meeks had the top three scoring games nationally in regulation (54, 46, 45 points). He became the first player in SEC history to win SEC Player of the Week honors four times in a single-season.


The 2009 NBA Draft will take place on June 25.
Even without Meeks next season, many believe UK will be the pre-season No. 1 team, as new coach John Calipari has brought in one of the most celebrated recruiting classes in recent memory.




http://www.wlextv.com/global/story.asp?s=10531933