BYU Basketball’s Gideon George Declares For NBA Draft
Apr 8, 2022, 12:17 PM | Updated: 12:22 pm
Brigham Young Cougars forward Gideon George (5) looks around after grabbing a rebound as BYU and Texas Southern play an NCAA basketball game at the Marriott Center in Provo on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball forward Gideon George has declared for the NBA Draft.
The Nigeria native who transferred to BYU via New Mexico Junior College announced his declaration to enter the draft on social media.
Excited for the future!💙 pic.twitter.com/iCEETUfCFl
— Gideon George (@GideonOmohkudu) April 8, 2022
“First I want to thank God for all that he has given me in my life, I want to thank Coach Pope and the incredible staff at BYU and all of Cougar Nation for the love and support over the past two years. Finally, I want to thank the friends and family that have loved and guided me through this journey so far.
“Today, I am taking the next step towards realizing my dream, and will be declaring for the NBA Draft. Throughout this process I will be maintaining my college eligibility. I look forward with open eyes and an open heart for what God has in store for me next. I love you all.”
Career snapshot at BYU for Gideon George
George started in 27 games the past two seasons for BYU. During the 2021-22 season, George averaged 8.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, primarily as a small forward for the Cougars.
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound prospect shot 43.6% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range this past season.
George poured in a career-high 27 points against Northern Iowa during the second round of the NIT last month. After the game, BYU head coach Mark Pope referred to George as a “big chunk” of “BYU basketball future,” along with Caleb Lohner for the way the players were carrying BYU in a postseason run to the NIT quarterfinals.
George still has one year of college eligibility remaining. However, if George doesn’t return to BYU, it will give the Cougars a third available scholarship for the 2022-23 roster.
George competed for a spot on Nigeria’s Olympic team last year
Last summer, George competed for a spot on Nigeria’s Olympic basketball team. He received high praise from Nigeria head coach Mike Brown (longtime NBA head coach and assistant) for being a “prototypical NBA wing.”
D'Tigers head Coach, Mike Brown has described Gideon George Omohkudu and Warith Alatishe as proto-typical NBA wings.
On the possibilities of the duo making it to the D’Tigers team to the Olympics, Brown said nothing is cast in iron and stone pic.twitter.com/iTlwpNZJMS
— #NBBF (@nbbfonline) June 28, 2021
The deadline for early NBA draft entrants to withdraw is June 13.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
