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Aaron Henry declares for 2021 NBA Draft, will hire agent

April 12, 2021
<p>Junior forward Aaron Henry (0) makes the first basket for Michigan State in the first half of the game. The Wolverines crushed the Spartans, 69-50, at Crisler Center on March 4, 2021.</p>

Junior forward Aaron Henry (0) makes the first basket for Michigan State in the first half of the game. The Wolverines crushed the Spartans, 69-50, at Crisler Center on March 4, 2021.

Photo by Lauren DeMay | The State News

Michigan State basketball player Aaron Henry has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft with plans to hire an agent, the 6-foot-6 wing announced on his Instagram and Twitter accounts early Monday.

It is the second straight spring that Henry will test the NBA Draft waters. The Indianapolis native announced last spring he would enter the draft process but withdrew his name in August without hiring an agent – deciding to return to school and build his draft stock.

Henry averaged 15.4 points, 3.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game across 28 games while shooting 44.9% from the field, 29.6% from 3-point land and 76.2% from the line. The junior was also named a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive Team, averaging 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks a game during the 2020-21 season.

Hiring an agent makes Henry ineligible to return to MSU for his senior year if he were to be left undrafted.

"Being a professional basketball player has been my dream since I was a kid and after receiving guidance from my parents and my coaching staff, I will be declaring myself for the 2021 NBA Draft with plans to sign with an agent," his post read. "My time at Michigan State has prepared me for anything and I will always be a Spartan for life. #GoGreen."

His physical talent and intelligence carried the Spartans for the entire season. His versatility has shone through when the green and white needed it most and he's been a solid leader both on and off the court for the last three years.

NBA Mock Draft projections have Henry getting picked in mostly the early second round and late first round. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has the wing projected to go at the No. 28 pick and NBADraft.net has Henry being picked No. 57 by Charlotte Hornets.

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Henry has two years left of eligibility due to the COVID-19 waiver that was ruled in favor of by the NCAA. Across his three seasons as a Spartan, Henry has played in 97 games, started 77 and averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds while averaging 27.2 minutes per game for his career.

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