Vanderbilt G Tyrin Lawrence declares for draft, retains eligibility

Vanderbilt junior guard Tyrin Lawrence announced Monday that he is declaring for the NBA draft.

Lawrence said on Twitter that he will maintain his college eligibility to leave open the possibility of a return to Vanderbilt.

Lawrence averaged 13.1 points per game this past season, and he made an epic buzzer-beating 3-pointer as time expired to give the Commodores a 66-65 upset of then-No. 6 Tennessee on Feb. 8. Vanderbilt had lost 11 straight games to their in-state rivals.

"Thank you to Coach (Jerry) Stackhouse and Vanderbilt University for the opportunity to play in front of Commodore Nation," Lawrence wrote. "Thank you for sticking with me through all the ups and downs. I'm forever grateful.

"With that being said, it's time for me to pursue my lifelong dream. I will be entering my name in the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining my collegiate eligibility."

Lawrence shot 50.2 percent from the field this season, a vast improvement from his 41 percent rate while averaging just 3.8 points as a sophomore.

Overall, he has averages of 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 77 games (52 starts) for Vanderbilt.