Syracuse enjoyed tremendous depth in the 2011-2012 season. That depth will likely be non-existent next season as, in addition to the seniors graduating, sophomore guard Dion Waiters announced today that he will forego his final two years of eligibility and enter the 2012 NBA Draft. Waiters will also hire an agent, which means he will not be able to test the waters and possibly decide to return to school.
Waiters took advantage of increased playing time in his sophomore season and it showed in his production. After playing 16 minutes per game and averaging 6.6 points per game in 2011, Waiters averaged 24 minutes and 16 points per game this season. Though his draft stock will depend on which players all decide to come out early for the draft, it is believed by most that Waiters will be a first round draft pick in April's NBA Draft and that Waiters will likely be taken anywhere from the middle to the end of the first round.