You can add another name to the list of Kentucky players leaving school early for the 2019 NBA Draft as freshman Keldon Johnson declared his intentions Wednesday. However, Johnson did leave the door open for a potential return to Lexington if he does not get back the draft grade he desires.

Johnson is allowed to sign with an agent and potentially return to school following recent NCAA rule changes. The final deadline for players to return to school is May 29.

The freshman started 36 games for Kentucky last season 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He released the following statement to announce his decision.

“First of all, I want to thank God because none of this would be possible without Him,” Johnson said. “Thank you to my family for always having my back and getting me to this point. Thank you to Coach Cal for pushing me on and off the court to be the best player I can be. He never let me take a day off. I want to thank Coach KP (Kenny Payne) for pushing me every day and for being a father figure away from home. Thank you to Coach (Tony) Barbee for being there through tough times. I also want to thank Coach Joel (Justus) and Coach (John) Robic for always providing a helping hand when I needed and for always supporting me.

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the last week thinking about what’s best for me and my future. I’ve sat down with my family and Coach Cal and determined that testing the waters and getting information back from the NBA is the best thing for me at this time. My hope is to be a lottery pick. If I am, I plan on pursuing my dreams and staying in the draft, but I want to go through the process first and get the correct information.

“This season was everything I dreamed of and more when I decided to come to Kentucky. I wish we could have played a few more games, but it doesn’t take away from the special memories we made. Thank you to the Big Blue Nation for your support and love through this important time in my life.”