Alabama SEC All-Freshman to declare for NBA Draft

Alabama power forward Noah Clowney will enter the 2023 NBA Draft following his freshman season, having announced his intentions on Instagram. Clowney’s statement doesn’t include any mention of preserving his remaining NCAA eligibility, which likely means he plans to forgo that eligibility and go pro.

In his first and only college season, Clowney averaged 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game (36 games) as a full-time starter for the Crimson Tide. His strong showing earned him a spot on the SEC’s All-Freshman team.

The No. 20 overall prospect on ESPN’s big board, Clowney is one of two potential first-round picks out of Alabama this year, joining college teammate Brandon Miller.

In his most recent mock draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had Clowney coming off the board at No. 25, noting that there are NBA evaluators who love the 18-year-old’s “mix of athleticism and length,” though he remains raw and doesn’t have a reliable jump shot.

The following prospects also recently declared for the draft as early entrants:

Expected to remain in the draft:

• Armaan Franklin, G, Virginia (senior) (Instagram link)

Testing the draft waters:

• Frankie Collins, G, Arizona State (sophomore) (Instagram link)
• Davonte Davis, G, Arkansas (junior) (Twitter link)
• Rayshon Harrison, G, Grand Canyon (junior) (Twitter link)
• Tramon Mark, G, Houston (sophomore) (Twitter link)
  • Note: Mark is also entering the transfer portal.