Report: New Mexico State star Teddy Allen to stay in NBA Draft

New Mexico State star Teddy Allen’s college career is effectively over.

Allen decided to stay in the 2022 NBA Draft rather than return to college basketball, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. He averaged 19.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season for New Mexico State, which made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this year.

While he tested the draft waters, Allen also entered the transfer portal. He explained the decision in a conversation with Stadium’s Jeff Goodman after officially entering his name.

“New Mexico State guard Teddy Allen told me that he is fully committed to staying in the draft process, but put his name in the portal just to ‘cover his bases,’” Goodman tweeted May 2. “Smart for most of these guys to do just in case they change their mind, or get hurt, or whatever.”

Allen, the brother of Texas guard Timmy Allen, started his college career at West Virginia in 2017 before transferring to Western Nebraska Community college the next season. He then transferred to Nebraska before taking his talents to New Mexico State, where he burst onto the scene for the Aggies.

As a junior in 2021-22, Allen started 33 of 34 games for New Mexico State and helped propel the Aggies to a 27-7 overall record, including a 14-4 mark in WAC action. For his efforts, he earned WAC Player of the Year honors. He also had a monster game in the NCAA Tournament, dropping 37 points, pulling down six rebounds and dishing three assists in New Mexico State’s first-round win over UConn.

Allen isn’t the only major loss for New Mexico State this offseason. After March Madness, Chris Jans left the program after five years to become the new head coach at Mississippi State, where he’ll replace Ben Howland.