Men’s basketball: Gibbs officially declares for NBA draft

Ashton Gibbs officially declared for the NBA draft on Thursday by submitting his early-entry… Ashton Gibbs officially declared for the NBA draft on Thursday by submitting his early-entry paperwork to the league.

Because he didn’t hire an agent, the junior guard can withdraw his name from the draft until May 8 at 5 p.m. and return for his final season at Pitt.

Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said that Gibbs, Pitt’s leading scorer, wants to explore his draft stock.

“Ashton wants to see where he stands with NBA draft possibilities,” Dixon said in a news release. “Ashton and I have had numerous discussions dating back to last year. Anytime you’re an All-Big East First Team player, it is something we encourage our players to look into.”

He added that the team supports Gibbs’ goals and that the guard is finishing up his graduation requirements.

Gibbs led the Panthers with 16.8 points per game this season. He hit 46 percent of his shots from the field while knocking down 49 percent of his 3-pointers.

One of the nation’s best shooters from beyond the arc, Gibbs finished first in Big East 3-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goals made per game. He was an AP All-American honorable mention selection.

In 2008, former Pitt star Sam Young tested the NBA waters before returning to school for his senior season. This year, NBA teams can pay for players’ travel expenses, giving underclassmen extra incentive to consider entering the draft.