Beekman to declare for NBA Draft, but won’t hire an agent

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s offseason suddenly became even more intriguing Thursday when point guard Reece Beekman said he will declare for the NBA draft, but will keep his college eligibility.

What that means is Beekman will test the NBA waters without hiring an agent, which would allow him to come back to school or transfer to another school, should he not be satisfied with feedback from the NBA. The deadline for early-entry withdrawal is May 31.

Beekman will have opportunities to work out for various teams and could get an invitation to the NBA Combine in Chicago, May 16-18.

Virginia fans will remember that Trey Murphy launched his impressive NBA showcase at the Combine when he literally shot his way into the league. For Beekman, it could be a little more challenging. His jump shot left a lot to be desired throughout the season when he made 104 of 257 field-goal attempts (41 percent) and 27 of 77 shots from the 3-point line (35 percent).

The 6-foot-3, junior guard has been inconsistent with his shot throughout the season, which has caused his potential draft stock to rise and fall as well. He is a brilliant floor leader, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, with a great handle, who rarely turns it over. At times he could be an assist machine, but often lacked the aggressive nature that Tony Bennett tried to pry out of him throughout the campaign.

He wasn’t 100 percent most of the season after suffering a hamstring injury that held him back over a long stretch.

At this point, Virginia’s entire starting lineup from this past season could be gone either via graduation, the transfer portal or the draft. Only Armaan Franklin hasn’t announced his intentions among the starters. Franklin, who walked with his family on Senior Day, has a year of eligibility remaining.

Freshman Isaac McKneely and Ryan Dunn are expected to return to the team.