Kario Oquendo declares for draft, enters transfer portal
Georgia guard Kario Oquendo is going to be playing elsewhere next season. Where that is, to be determined. The junior both decided to declare for the 2023 NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal on Tuesday, keeping all options open.
“Thank you Georgia! First off, I want to thank the University of Georgia for welcoming me into their family. I will always be thankful for the opportunities I was given, the friends and teammates I met and the coaches and staff members that helped me get to this point,” Oquendo wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “I will always be a Dawg. I also want to thank my friends, family and close circle for supporting me through everything. I wouldn’t be here without them. With that being said, I have decided to put my name in the 2023 NBA Draft. I will also put my name in the transfer portal to keep my options open to return to college.”
Spending two season with the Bulldogs, Oquendo was known for his high volume scoring and play-making ability with the ball in his hands. A native of Titusville, Fla., Oquendo averaged in double-figures both overall and in SEC play this past season with 12.7 points per game on the year and 11.9 points per game against conference opponents. Both totals were good for second on the team and followed up a 2021-22 campaign when he led Georgia in scoring with 15.2 points per game overall and 18.3 points per game in SEC play. In 60 career contests for the Bulldogs, Oquendo finished in double-figures 43 times including at least 20 in each season. Ten times did he hit the 20-point mark in 2021-22 followed by only doing so four times this past season.
This isn’t the first time that Oquendo has entered the transfer portal. In fact, he did so after last season before ultimately deciding to return to Georgia under the direction of a new coaching staff. Oquendo started 28 of 29 games this past season playing 25.3 minutes per game. He shot 39.2% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.
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Highlights of Oquendo’s time in Athens include his career-high 33 points at Texas A&M in 2022 – the highest tally of any SEC player during the 2021-22 season – 17 points including three 3-pointers in an SEC-opening win over a ranked Auburn squad this season in Athens and 15 points all in the second half to help Georgia beat Ole Miss on the road in 2023. Oquendo poured in 21, making 10 free throws, against Kentucky to secure Georgia’s second straight win at Stegeman Coliseum over the Wildcats. He also had several highlight reel dunks that made SportsCenter including a pair that came in at No. 3 last season.
The opening of the NCAA transfer portal for basketball players and Oquendo’s departure soon after is part of a roster reset for Georgia this offseason. Headed into year two for Mike White, the Bulldogs lose Braelen Bridges, Jailyn Ingram and Mardrez McBride to eligibility. Jaxon Etter expressed that he is done with College Basketball too. Then on Monday, Terry Roberts announced his entry into the NBA Draft as well, leaving the Bulldogs with six scholarships to fill for 2023-24. Georgia signed two players in the Class of 2023 – Dylan James and Mari Jordan. White and his staff signed six players out of the portal last season including two of the top five scorers.
