It’s official: UGA’s Travis Leslie will stay in NBA draft
Guard Travis Leslie is taking his high-flying act to the NBA after three seasons at Georgia. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
Travis Leslie has decided to keep his name in the NBA draft. That means his college basketball career at Georgia is officially over.
The good news is the Bulldogs will have two players in the NBA draft pool at the same time for the first time in school history (forward Trey Thompkins had already declared himself a professional). The bad news is coach Mark Fox has now lost his two leading scorers from last year’s NCAA tournament team and is now in full-blown rebuilding mode. It’s probably no coincidence that the announcement came on the eve of the opening of the spring signing period.
Leslie, a 6-4 guard from Decatur’s Columbia High School, averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds a game as a junior last season. He finishes with 1,099 career points, 30th all-time at Georgia.
“After talking it over with my family, I have decided that I will forgo my senior year and enter into the NBA Draft,” Leslie said in a statement released by the school. “I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game. Last but not least, I’d like to thank the Georgia fans for their support over the past three years.”
The NBA draft is June 23. Leslie has projected as anywhere from late first-round to a second-round selection.
“It was my pleasure to coach Travis,” Fox said. “It has been a real joy to see him develop as a player the past couple of seasons. He has made a decision to pursue his dream and we wish him nothing but the best.”
By Chip Towers, The UGA Blog
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66 comments Add your comment
GT-Jeff
April 12th, 2011
10:18 pm
I feel your pain Dawg fans. It absolutely blows when your players leave early…especially when they are not ready. So much for helping the new coach build some tradition. Hopefully Iman Shumpert will not do that to our new coach. It will be a mistake if he does.
Honest Ingine
April 13th, 2011
3:17 am
Should have stayed another year, like Lawal at Tech did. Now he’s in the NBA.
Jimmy Crack
April 13th, 2011
7:11 am
A little linguistic help for Travis in NBA Europe…
“Où est mon chèque?” – French
“Dove è la mia controllare?” – Italian
“Where is my check?” – English
honest_abe
April 13th, 2011
7:14 am
travis’s game translates more at the nba level than it does @ collegiate level. the nba game places an emphasis on physical attributes and is much more of a 1 on 1 setting. travis has consistently improved each year he’s been @ georgia. he’ll get drafted in the 2nd round. most likely end up in the d-league. but i dont’ think its too much of a reach to say he should be on a roster within a year or two. that is of course if he continues to work on his game.
LT
April 13th, 2011
8:02 am
Flashy, but not ready. TL is seeing stars & money, all around game just not there yet. Comments tell the story, ““I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game.” Implication?, just practicing for the NBA, but not quite there yet. Go ahead and pencil in for slam dunk contest, if he makes a team, but that is all. Going to leave a lot of money on the table, if he had prepared a little longer.
lanier
April 13th, 2011
8:30 am
Greece is nice Travis hope you enjoy it
mcdawg
April 13th, 2011
8:46 am
nothing wrong w/ playing in europe–
ormewood
April 13th, 2011
9:01 am
Trickle-down effect of players like Henson, Zeller, Jones, possibly Barnes staying might push Leslie into the first round. Of course, “he’s not ready.” They hardly ever are. Nonetheless, he certainly has a right to pursue his professional aspirations.
As others have said, Dawgs will be in full-scale rebuilding mode next season. Vols could be in same boat if Harris and Hopson leave.
Dirty Dawg
April 13th, 2011
9:24 am
Face it folks, this is the way of ‘big time’ college basketball…if you’re any good you get to choose, at a pretty early age, between going to classes, studying and taking tests while working on your basketball skills, or, getting paid a pretty nice salary, hanging out with guys, traveling to interesting places, and never again have to go to classes and take tests while working on your basketball skills…and since you’re probably not gonna earn a degree in another year anyway, then ‘why not now?’
Get used to it cause this is the what college basketball has become. If you can get a couple of years out of a top-quality player, you’re lucky. At least we got more than eleven games from them…ask Duke how that works for you.
robodawg
April 13th, 2011
9:43 am
Oh man. Big shoes to fill. Wish we could’ve built next year’s offense around him. Best wishes Travis with your career.
Warden
April 13th, 2011
9:45 am
D A DoubleU G
April 12th, 2011
4:15 pm
Thanks for all the hard work; highlight memories, and most importantly of all, a winning record against the pompous d-bags from North Ave while you were here
______________________________________________________
DA- STILL obsessed with GT
npgator
April 13th, 2011
10:11 am
Not only is his carreer over but so is the Bulldogs season next year!
Dnice
April 13th, 2011
10:43 am
People said the same thing about Louis Williams and he has turned that negative into a positive and is a top player for the Sixers. Lets hope Travis turns out the same. Its not a given that he would learn those things at UGA in 1 year what he hasnt learned in 3 years. I hope he was doing well in class so he will at least have a degree to fall back on when the money pours in or if it doesnt pour in. Too many athletes in the news for not handling their finances. Good luck travis. You will always be a Dog. Hunker down my friend Hunker down.
K-From Da Wood
April 13th, 2011
12:05 pm
If he wants to be successful in the league he must become a lockdown defender first and foremost, then use the time that buys him to round off his game and improve in other aspects. I don’t expect him to be a 14ppg 7rpg guy @ the next level, but I hope he proves everybody wrong!
Dawg Fud
April 14th, 2011
10:04 am
I think Leslie could have used another year of college but will be fine in the NBA. That being said I believe the reason he left is because Fox did not know how to best utilize him with the emergence of Gerald Robinson.
At least that is my observation from watching this team.
NBANOTGOODNOMORE
April 18th, 2011
3:19 pm
Are u serious? I’m not mad at the kid but he’s purely after the paycheck. That’s why I don’t care to watch the NBA anymore. It looks like a game of street ball! It’s about a dunk or a 3 pointer. No skills displayed only atheleticism. This kid was just an average player in the SEC conference, Really? Bad move!