Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford declares for NBA draft without an agent

Wednesday, Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats said he expected some of his underclassmen to test the NBA draft waters. Thursday night, the Crimson Tide saw the beginning of that process as rising junior guard Jaden Shackelford announced he will enter the NBA draft without hiring an agent.

Shackelford led Alabama in scoring with 14.0 points per game while shooting 41 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Hesperia, Calif., native was named to the All-SEC second team. Shackelford will be able to return to Alabama provided that he withdraws his name by the July 19 deadline.

“The NBA has been my dream since I was a little kid playing in the driveway,” Shackelford said through an announcement on social media. “Now I have the opportunity to make it a reality. With that being said, I will be entering the 2021 NBA Draft without an agent to receive as much valuable feedback as I can regarding my future. Roll Tide!”

Last season, Alabama saw John Petty Jr. and Herbert Jones both declare for the draft without agents before returning to the program. Oat said he wouldn’t be surprised if multiple underclassmen take advantage of the opportunity this offseason.

“I would expect some guys to,” Oats said. “Guys that are some of our better players that put up some good numbers, we’ve had some conversations. They’ve gotta put their name in. I’m not gonna go through and list everybody, but look at who put up some of our better numbers. To me, it probably makes sense to test the waters, get some feedback, and I don’t think it’s the worst thing either. I want guys that wanna be in the NBA. If you wanna be in the NBA, let’s get feedback from NBA people.”