UConn junior forward Megan Walker announced Saturday she will forgo her final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2020 WNBA draft. Walker is draft-eligible as a junior because she turns 22 in this calendar year, in November.
Walker was the Huskies' leading scorer this season at 19.7 points per game, and she also averaged 8.4 rebounds. She was the American Athletic Conference player of the year, and won the American tournament MVP honor. The Huskies finished the season at 29-3, winning the American regular-season and tournament titles.
"Due to the unfortunate circumstances that caused the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, it saddens me that I was not able to finish my junior season in the way that I would have liked," Walker said in a statement. "I am, however, ready to move on to the next phase of my life and career.
"I would like to thank the University of Connecticut, my coaches, teammates, and the athletic staff for their support and for embracing me over the last three years. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the fans for all their support and making me feel loved over my UConn career. I will forever be a Husky and wish the best for UConn in the future."
Walker was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2017 by espnW HoopGurlz. She totaled 1,251 points and 615 rebounds while at UConn.
"During a player's college career, they're working towards certain goals," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a statement. "When you have an opportunity to reach a certain goal that you set for yourself, I think it's important that you have an opportunity to take it.
"Meg's decided this is the right time for her to take advantage of this opportunity. Obviously, she had an incredible season this year and is incredibly talented. We support her 100 percent, and we're going to support her going forward. We wish her the best of luck as she begins her pro career."
The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 17, but with the suspension of the NBA because of the coronavirus, it hadn't been confirmed yet if that date will remain the same.