Houston star G Marcus Sasser declares for NBA draft

Houston's All-America guard Marcus Sasser said Thursday that he is declaring for the NBA draft.

Sasser was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year this season and was selected for multiple All-America first-team honors including by The Associated Press. He is one of five finalists for the 2023 John R. Wooden Award Presented by Wendy's National Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-2 shooting guard led the Cougars with a 16.8 scoring average and a 38.4 shooting percentage from 3-point range (190 of 434). He also recorded a team-best 58 steals for a 1.6 average (seventh-best in the ACC) in starting all 36 games he played.

Sasser had 13 20-point games this season, including a career-best 31 points against South Florida on Jan. 11.

"The past four years at the University of Houston have been filled with lots of memorable moments, some good and some not so good, but I am thankful for them all," Sasser wrote on Instagram. "The coaching staff, my brothers (my teammates), the fans and the city of Houston as a whole have all played an intricate role in my growth and development. It is now time for me to take the next step and enter into the NBA Draft. Wherever God's plan takes me next, the experiences I've had while playing for UH will always hold a special place in my heart. Love Houston."

The Cougars, a former No. 1 team in the national polls, went 33-4 and were the top seed in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Region, where they fell to fifth-seed Miami 89-75 in the Sweet 16.

Sasser, who was limited by a late-season groin injury, returned to help Houston advance in the tournament.

He also returned to Houston for his senior season after declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft but maintaining his eligibility. He still has a fifth season due to the NCAA granting an extra year due to the pandemic, but Sasser is projected to be a late first-round pick in the 2023 draft.