Austin, TX (Sportsbooks) - University of Texas All-American sophomore guard T.J. Ford announced on Thursday that he will enter the NBA draft. Ford averaged 15 points and 7.7 assists per game to lead Texas to the Final Four this season. However, the Longhorns lost to Syracuse in the national semifinals. "It was a tough decision, giving up the college lifestyle," Ford said. "I know that making this decision, my life is about to change." He won both the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, which are given annually to college basketball's national player of the year. After the season on April 16, Ford was taken by ambulance to an Austin area hospital after injuring himself in a pickup game. However, due to privacy laws, the school would not discuss the details of the injury. Ford, who has a history of neck problems, was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. The ailment, an abnormal narrowing of the openings of the vertebra through which the spinal cord runs, was noticed before his freshman season at Texas. He decided to hold off on surgery and later tests revealed improvement. However, the congenital condition has the potential to end careers of athletes in contact sports like football and hockey. Ford is expected to be one of the first guards selected in the June 26th NBA draft. |
