UConn forward Alex Karaban is heading back to campus for a try at a third straight national title after withdrawing from the NBA draft Wednesday.
The 6-foot-8 third-year sophomore has started in 77 of his 78 games since joining the Huskies. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds last season as UConn went 37-3 and became the first team with consecutive NCAA Tournament titles since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
No program has won three in a row since UCLA won seven straight from 1967-73.
“While I've enjoyed the draft process, Storrs is home,” Karaban, from Southborough, Massachusetts, posted on social media. “Let's run it back!”
Also withdrawing was Clemson guard Chase Hunter, who helped the Tigers reach the Elite Eight last season.
Hunter, a 6-foot-4 senior from Atlanta, averaged 12.9 points a game and led the Tigers with 116 assists. He had declared for the NBA draft last month, but was not invited to the league's draft combine.
Hunter played a big role in Clemson's run to the Elite Eight, where he averaged 17.8 points in four games and was named to the All-West Region team.
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