According to multiple reports making their way around social media, Boston College junior guard Olivier Hanlan has elected to declare for the NBA Draft, foregoing his senior season at Boston College.
Boston College junior guard Olivier Hanlan will declare for the NBA Draft, sources say. Already started his preparations for workouts.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 13, 2015
This is obviously a tough blow for Jim Christian's 2015-16 Eagles team. With the potential of Hanlan returning and possibly adding a transfer or two, plus the arrival of true freshmen and redshirt freshman Idy Diallo, there was optimism that the program could turn a corner next year and make a run at a postseason spot.
While there are still hopes for improvement even without Hanlan, it will be tough for the Eagles to progress without their best player. Hanlan averaged a career high 19.5 points per game this season, along with 4.2 assists and 37.6 minutes per game.
Hanlan is likely to be, at best, either a low first round pick or a second round pick, so it's not like he's leaving now to chase big money and immediate NBA playing time. However, he and his camp obviously believe that this is his best opportunity to earn a pro shot, given how high his stock is after an excellent season.