AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn sophomore guard Jared Harper has decided to go through the NBA Draft evaluation, but is not intending to hire an agent, leaving him the flexibility to return to school for his final two seasons.
"Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine," Harper said. "I'm very thankful for how God has guided me through this journey along with the continuous support from my family.
"I would like to thank Coach Pearl, the entire coaching staff, my teammates and the fans for the continued support. War Eagle!"
"Jared had a great sophomore season leading Auburn to a conference championship and being an all-conference player", head coach Bruce Pearl said. "This is a great opportunity for him to go through the process, get evaluated and grow his game. We're excited for Jared."
In his second season as the floor general, Harper dished out 185 assists in 2017-18, tied for the fourth-highest total in a single season with Gerald White in 1984-85.
The Tigers tallied 481 points off assists from Harper and scored 81.9 points per game -- the highest by an Auburn team since 1991-92.
The Mableton, Ga. native racked up 27 games in double figures, including 17 of 18 contests in SEC play, as he increased his points per game from 11.4 in 2016-17 to 13.2 this past campaign.
Harper buried 166 free throws during the course of the 2017-18 season. His mark is the fourth-highest by a Tiger all-time and he is one of just two players to be in the top 10 in single-season free throws and also make at least 50 3-pointers (KT Harrell).
For his efforts, Harper was named Second Team All-SEC by the Associated Press and the Southeastern Conference coaches. He was also tabbed All-District IV by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
With Harper as the point guard, the Tigers won their third SEC title in program history behind a 26-8 overall record, including a 13-5 mark in SEC play. Auburn also received a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.
