CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Canisius sophomore guard Isaiah Reese announced Wednesday that he will place his name into consideration for the 2018 NBA Draft, but added that he will not sign with an agent to preserve his college eligibility.
“Isaiah and I have discussed this opportunity, and I support his decision,” Canisius head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. “He is going to take advantage of the NCAA rules that allow him to test his game at the highest level. This will be a good opportunity for him to learn more of what it takes for him to get to where he wants to be.”
“After talking with my parents, and with coach Witherspoon and the staff at Canisius, I am declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft,” Reese said. “I am excited to see what the next stages of basketball have in store for me personally, but I am committed to Canisius College, so I have chosen not to hire an agent.”
The NCAA allows student-athletes to declare for the draft in order to participate in pre-draft workouts and receive feedback from NBA teams. Reese will retain his two seasons of collegiate eligibility as long as he does not sign with an agent and removes his name from draft consideration within 10 days after the end of the NBA Draft Combine. That deadline this year is May 30.
The Miami, Fla., native became the first Canisius sophomore since 1994 to earn All-MAAC First-Team honors after he posted 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game in 33 contests for the Golden Griffins in 2017-18. One of two players in the nation to grab more than 125 rebounds, dish out 125 assists and make more the 75 3-point field goals during the season, Reese became the first Canisius player in the program’s 114-year history to record a triple-double when he posted 23 points, 11 boards and 11 assists in the team’s win over Youngstown State Nov. 18. He scored in double-figures 28 times as a sophomore, including 11 games with 20-plus points, and his 73 total steals for the season are the most for a Canisius player since 1992-93.
In his 67 career games on Main Street, Reese has scored 797 points to go with 316 rebounds, 252 assists and 119 steals.
Reese played a key role in helping Canisius post a 21-12 overall record and a 15-3 mark in MAAC play last season. The 21 wins tied the school record for victories in a regular season, and the 15 conference wins gave the Griffs a share of the MAAC regular-season championship, the program’s first since 1993-94.
