DePaul's Chandler to Declare for NBA Draft

CHICAGO - DePaul sophomore Wilson Chandler intends to declare himself eligible for the 2007 NBA Draft and will not return to the program he announced today.

"After careful consideration, I have decided to enter my name in the 2007 NBA Draft. This decision did not come easy for me because of my feelings for DePaul University," Chandler said. "Coach Jerry Wainwright, my family and I have talked about my future and together we all decided this was the best decision for me at this time based upon personal circumstances.

"The coaches, athletics staff and my teammates have been extremely supportive of me over the last two seasons, including now, and I want to thank them for their support," Chandler added. "Coach Wainwright and (DePaul Director of Athletics) Jean Lenti Ponsetto have been instrumental in my development as an athlete, but more importantly as an adult. Coach Wainwright has taught me about responsibility and accountability, invaluable lessons that will now guide me as I become a professional athlete. I also want to thank my family and friends for their love and support. Finally, I want to thank the DePaul fans for their support over the past two years. I look forward to representing this fine institution on the professional level."

"Wilson and I sat down at the conclusion of our season and discussed at length what would be the next step in his basketball career. After careful consideration with his family, Wilson has decided to make himself available for the 2007 NBA Draft," Wainwright said. "Wilson has made tremendous progress in his two years at DePaul University as a player, but much more importantly he has made greater progress as a person. I am proud to have been a part of his life the last two years and I, along with our University community, will continue to support his future efforts."

A 6-8 forward from Benton Harbor, Michigan, Chandler led the Blue Demons in scoring (14.6), rebounding (6.9) and blocked shots (47) during the 2006-07 season in which he earned second team All-BIG EAST Conference honors and helped DePaul to a 20-win season and the quarterfinals of the NIT. As a freshman in 2005-06, Chandler led the Blue Demons in rebounding (7.2), finished second in scoring (10.6) and was a unanimous pick on the BIG EAST All-Rookie team. After just two seasons in a Blue Demon jersey, Chandler is 10th in school history with 86 blocked shots.