BOWLING GREEN — Bowling Green State University men’s basketball standout Demajeo Wiggins has removed his name from consideration for the NBA draft and will return to the Falcons for his senior season, the Springfield High School graduate confirmed in a phone interview Wednesday.
In March Wiggins declared himself eligible for the draft but did not hire an agent. Since he removed himself from draft consideration before the June 21 deadline and did not hire an agent, he is eligible to return to BG.
Wiggins, who has one final year of eligibility remaining, said he appreciated the opportunity the process offered to evaluate his NBA status while keeping his eligibility.
“At this point I’m grateful and thankful the process works this way,” he said. “Some of the things I learned in this process are things the coaching staff at Bowling Green was telling me.
“But it was interesting to talk to the people from the best league in the world and hear what they had to say in terms of learning the things that you need to do to achieve your goals.”
The NBA draft process prohibits players who return to college such as Wiggins from revealing the information they were provided, such as draft position or specific player strengths and weaknesses.
But the senior center already has created a to-do list of improvements for the coming summer.
“No. 1, I feel I need to be a better team leader day-in and day-out,” Wiggins said. “I need to learn to play hard on each possession, to sprint down the floor and work hard on both offense and defense.
“I need to rebound better, and while I need to expand my perimeter game a little bit, I have to remember that my bread and butter are on the low block.”
As you might expect, Bowling Green coach Michael Huger said he is happy to have Wiggins return to the program.
"Since he arrived on campus in 2015, Demajeo has grown as a person and basketball player,” Huger said in a statement. “Having the opportunity to get evaluated by NBA teams was a rewarding experience for Demajeo as he continues to work toward his end goal of becoming a professional basketball player.
“The feedback he received will not only allow him to sharpen his game but will also help strengthen our team.”
The 6-foot-10 Wiggins is a two-year starter for the Falcons. Last season he earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors by averaging 13.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, ranking 22nd in the league in scoring and second in rebounding.
Wiggins, who was one of only two MAC players to average a double-double this past season, also finished fifth in the league in field-goal percentage with a 55.8 percent mark.
“Ultimately this was a good opportunity to see where I stood in the eyes of the NBA,” Wiggins said of the process. “Now my focus is on what I need to work on to improve myself and my team.
“And I am happy to get another opportunity to play at Bowling Green with this team.”
RELATED: Falcons look to rebound from disappointing finish to last season.
Contact John Wagner at jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481, or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.
First Published May 2, 2018, 9:14 p.m.
