UM guard Isaiah Wong to forego final year of eligibility and enter name in NBA Draft

University of Miami guard Isaiah Wong will forego his final year of collegiate eligibility and enter his name in the NBA Draft, the school announced on Monday.

Wong, the ACC Player of the Year, already played four years with the Hurricanes but could have stayed a fifth year as the NCAA added an extra year for student-athletes whose careers fell during the COVID pandemic.

Instead, as expected, Wong is moving on to pursue a professional career. He tested the NBA waters the past two years, and both times chose to return to Miami. He averaged 16.2 points this season and led the Hurricanes to their first Final Four in school history.

He finished his UM career with 1,866 points to rank fourth all time in program history. He was Miami’s sixth All-American and was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and the Jerry West Award.

“Coaching Isaiah Wong has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career. My staff and I are so happy for Isaiah for all he has accomplished,” said UM coach Jim Larrañaga. “We are excited for him as he continues to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA and look forward to supporting him in any way we can to make that a reality. We will continue to be here for him for whatever he may need, not just as he makes this step to the next level, but well beyond.”

Wong is known for his work ethic and humility, and Larranaga has often praised him as an example of how college athletes should conduct themselves on and off the court.

“It is rare to find someone like Isaiah, who was not just a star on the court during his four years at The U, but also an incredibly hard worker who improved each season, while treating people the right way. His passion for winning set the tone for our locker room chemistry and he helped Miami basketball reach heights it never has before. Isaiah is unquestionably one of the greatest athletes in the history of our school and we cannot wait to see what he accomplishes as a professional.”

After struggling his freshman season, Wong worked with coaches to build muscle and improve his ball-handling and passing skills. He spent countless hours in the gym, often after hours with assistant coaches and his mother, LaChelle, to work on his shortcomings. Both previous times he entered his name in the NBA Draft, he sought advice from NBA evaluators and returned to UM to get his game NBA-ready.

Wong and Jordan Miller are the two Hurricanes who entered their names for consideration in the NBA Draft.