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Ndiaye’s UCI career over

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Mamadou Ndiaye, a 7-foot-6 center who cast an imposing shadow on UC Irvine opponents while helping elevate the Anteaters’ program the last three seasons, will forgo his final season of college eligibility to pursue opportunities in professional basketball.

Ndiaye, who averaged 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds as a junior to help the Anteaters win a school-record 28 games and share a Big West Conference regular-season title, is eligible for the NBA Draft held June 23.

The two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Year whose 218 career blocked shots rank No. 1 at UCI and No. 3 in Big West annals, filed paperwork with the NBA office on April 7 to become draft-eligible. Since he had not hired an agent, he may have withdrawn his name from draft consideration by Wednesday and returned to UCI next season.

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Ndiaye, who said he will sign with an agent soon, was not among 69 prospects invited to the NBA Draft Combine held May 11-16. He has worked out individually for the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets, UCI Coach Russell Turner said Tuesday. Turner also said Ndiaye will likely be part of a group-free-agent workout soon in Los Angles at which representatives from all 30 NBA teams will be present, and that Ndiaye would probably work out individually for more teams before the draft.

“After much thought and conversation, I have decided to forego my remaining eligibility to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA,” Ndiaye said in a statement released by the school. “As I officially take this next step in my journey, I want to thank the UC Irvine family that has taken every step with me over the past three years. My time in Irvine has been filled with unforgettable memories. This school has become my second home. From my coaches to the administration to the fans and students who have supported me from Day 1, thank you all so much. Special thanks to Coach Turner for always being honest with me and helping me to become the man I am today.

“I understand that there will be questions about my decision to enter the NBA Draft but I’m excited to show everyone how dedicated I am to pursing my professional dreams. Lastly, I pledge to all of my family and friends that I will continue my studies so I can achieve another dream of mine: a degree from UC Irvine! I hope that everyone will follow my journey and support me,” Ndiaye said.

Turner, a former NBA assistant coach who helped develop Tim Duncan as a Wake Forest assistant, said Ndiaye made a thoroughly informed decision. He also said he has never coached a player like Ndiaye.

“He’s unique, there is no question about that,” Turner said. “He is the biggest guy that I’ve coached and has had more impact, in a lot of ways, than any other guy that I’ve coached, in that he affects the game being played and his opposition and all that. There are definitely things about him that I think are not fully appreciated when it comes to his impact as a player.

“Mamadou has left a mark on this community and in our program, and we appreciate that,” Turner said. “ Along with his teammates, he has been a part of unprecedented success on the court, and like his teammates, he has been a young man who has made us all proud. I hope we will continue to see him often on campus as he works to complete his degree. I am certain that Mamadou will continue to be a great representative of UC Irvine and our men’s basketball team.”

Ndiaye, a native of Dakar, Senegal who came to the United States as a teenager and attended Brethren Christian High in Huntington Beach, said by phone Tuesday that he was happy, excited and nervous about his future. He added that he is currently taking classes at UCI and plans to earn his bachelor’s degree in education.

Ndiaye said the people at UCI and in the community are what he will miss most about being an Anteater, and that he is most proud of helping UCI make the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his sophomore season.

“[Ndiaye] and I have talked a lot and he knows everything there is to know about the choice he is making,” Turner said. “He’s determined and I’m happy for him that he is as sure as he is about what he is doing. He has my complete support.

“Mamadou had a tough choice, because he loves it at UC Irvine, and his professional prospects at this stage are still unclear. Anyone who would question a decision that any guy would make regarding something like this I think is just uninformed. Nobody knows the choices better than he does, and while the road Mamadou is taking won’t be easy, he is making the choice he is making for reasons of his own.

“A lot of people might think that if Mamadou is not drafted, the decision didn’t make sense,” Turner said. “But that wouldn’t necessarily be true at all. He has a lot of different things in play with his choice. There are plenty of guys who end up playing in the NBA that don’t play in the NBA as rookies.

Turner was cautious about assessing Ndiaye’s readiness for the NBA.

“He clearly made a lot of progress [at UCI] and that has been fun to watch and be part of,” Turner said. “I think Mamadou has learned and grown and developed as all the players in our program have. His unique physical attributes and skill set are going to have a value in the basketball marketplace and it’s on him now to hopefully get the most out of that, and that’s what he is trying to do. I understand it and I support it.

“I think he’s done great, yet I also think there is more that we could have accomplished as a program with him here, and maybe in some ways for him individually. But part of what makes us successful here is that we have high expectations, so I don’t want anything I say to sound like I’m disappointed or critical. We’ve had a good run.

“To see him become the man that he is in this community, the positive presence he is in so many ways around our campus and other areas, is something I’m really grateful to have witnessed up close and to have been a part of,” Turner said. “And I feel proud for our UC Irvine community that we have been a part of the growth that he has experienced. I’m also grateful we’ve been able to benefit from being around him, because I think it goes both ways. He has become better and so have we.”

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barry.faulkner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5

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