Abdul-Malik Abu is withdrawing from the NBA Draft and will return to NC State for the 2016-17 season, the school announced Thursday.
A rising junior, Abu declared for the NBA Draft in March without hiring an agent. Although he was never a first-round projection, he remained undecided on his future as recently as Wednesday.
Abu’s return marks another major development for NC State, which added 2016 prospects Omer Yurtseven — a 5-star center from Turkey — and Darius Hicks to its frontcourt earlier this week.
Abu averaged 12.9 points and 8.8 assists per game as a sophomore with the Wolfpack this past season, shooting 49 percent from the field.