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Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis makes a major announcement

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•03/31/22•

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Johnny Davis took over in the final 10 minutes to help Wisconsin put away pesky Colgate in the first round. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Johnny Davis broke out for Wisconsin this past season. Now, he’s heading to the NBA.

Davis appeared on NBA Today on Thursday and officially declared for the draft. The Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American was Wisconsin’s leading scorer and helped the Badgers to a co-Big Ten title in 2021-22.

“My time here at Wisconsin was great,” Davis said on the show. “It was an unforgettable experience. I thank all my coaches and my teammates that I had in my corner. With that being said, I’d like to announce that I’m declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft and hiring an agent and can’t wait for what happens next.”

Davis averaged 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as Wisconsin became a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was a drastic improvement from his 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest as a freshman in 2020-21.

Davis earned AP All-American honors and, on Wednesday, was named a Wendy’s All-American this season. He’s also a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year award, which will be announced April 3 during the Final Four in New Orleans.

In On3’s Jamie Shaw’s Mock Draft 2.0 earlier this month, he projected Davis to go No. 8 overall. There’s a lot left to decide, though, as the NBA Draft Lottery is coming up May 17 to determine the draft order. The NBA Draft is set for June 23 in Brooklyn, NY.

Johnny Davis releases statement after declaring for NBA Draft

After he appeared on NBA Today, Davis took to Twitter to release a lengthy statement upon his draft declaration.

“Thank you for an incredible two years!” Davis said, in part, in a lengthy statement. “We went from online classes and playing in empty arenas to our team selling out the Kohl Center and making it one of the best home courts in college basketball. I am extremely proud of what we accomplished as a team and to my teammates, I am lucky to call you my brothers.

“I will forever cherish the experiences I had and the relationships I built during my time in Madison and I am so thankful I chose to be a Badger. … With that being said, I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream and will be declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft. I am so grateful for the support everyone has given me, for the opportunities basketball has brought into my life, and for the chance to continue to play the game I love.”