Arizona State guard Jahii Carson declares for NBA Draft

Arizona State Sun Devils guard Jahii Carson (1) looks for a teammate to pass to, guarded by Texas Longhorns guard Isaiah Taylor (1) during the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

It has long been expected that Arizona State point guard Jahii Carson would be entering the 2014 NBA Draft, but on Wednesday, that expectation became reality with an official declaration.

I'm excited to finally declare myself for the NBA draft. I wanna thank ASU for everything my ride at ASU was amazing.
— Heezus (@JahiiCarson) April 16, 2014

Carson has been one of the best players in the Pac-12 since setting foot on campus at Arizona State, and his numbers back that up in a significant way. As a freshman in 2012-2013, Carson averaged 18.5 points, 5.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game, and he followed that up with a strikingly similar performance in 2013-2014 with 18.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game for a quality Sun Devils team.

As he heads to the NBA, opinions vary considerably on Carson’s upside, but ESPN lists him as the #42 overall player and 9th-ranked point guard in this year’s class, while Draft Express has Carson as the #47 overall player in this group while pegging him 40th in their latest Mock Draft. There is little doubt about Carson’s athleticism and ability to get to the rim, but he has real question marks with his jump shot, and that always brings scrutiny.

Still, Carson should land safely in the NBA Draft, and he’ll have every opportunity to keep for a spot on a roster next season.