NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Joe Bryant Jr. hopes his talents can take him to the NBA this year, but he may not be done as a Norfolk State basketball player just yet.
Bryant declared for the NBA Draft on Thursday night, making the announcement on social media, but added that he will maintain his college eligibility as a graduate student.
"Opportunities like this don't come often and it's best that I take advantage, but there's more work to be done," Bryant said to close his statement.
The Lake Taylor product has put together a storied collegiate career with the Spartans. He capped it off by earning MEAC Player of the Year and was named Most Outstanding Player of the conference tournament. Bryant was named a Lou Henson All-American and is a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year, given to the top mid-major player in the nation.
The guard averaged 16.7 points and 32.5 minutes per contest, both leading the Spartans. His free throw percentage of 91.5 was good enough to rank sixth in the country. He led NSU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a victory over Appalachian State in the 2021 First Four.
"I have been blessed over the past four years to have such great coaches, teammates and mentors at Norfolk State to help me reach my goals at playing basketball at the next level," a portion of Bryant's statement read.
During his high school days, Bryant led Lake Taylor to a state title as a senior. He has one year of college eligibility remaining.
