Maryland men’s basketball’s Eric Ayala withdraws from NBA Draft, returns for senior season

Maryland men’s basketball guard Eric Ayala has withdrawn from the 2021 NBA Draft and will officially return to college for his senior season, the program announced Wednesday.

Ayala was the top scorer last season for the Terps, averaging 15.1 points per game on nearly 44% shooting from the field. As a 2021 All-Big Ten selection, he also shot 33.7% from three and had a team-best 83.1% clip from the free throw line.

He has been a game-changing guard for Maryland, especially during this past campaign, as the Terps made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated by Alabama.

“I’m excited to announce I’ll be returning to Maryland for my senior season,” Ayala said in a press release. “I took my time throughout this process and am appreciative of the feedback I received. I can’t wait to get to work with our team and play in front of the best fans in the country once again!”

Ayala’s return to College Park was critical for Maryland entering the 2021-22 season as many experts have the Terps projected as a top-15 team in Division I college basketball.

The Terps now await a potential announcement from Ayala’s teammate, Aaron Wiggins. If Wiggins were to return to college and forgo the 2021 NBA Draft, Maryland could be in store for a strong season after adding a few key transfers to round out the roster.