Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison to return for senior season

Junior Chandler Hutchison, who led the Boise State men’s basketball team in scoring (17.4 ppg) and rebounds (7.8) in 2016-17, has withdrawn his name from the 2017 NBA Draft and will return for his senior season, the school announced Thursday. Hutchison declared for the draft on April 10 but did not hire an agent, allowing him to remain eligible.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunities, interest and feedback I received from many NBA teams,” Hutchison said in a press release. “The time is right to put my focus back on winning a Mountain West championship. Everything I learned the last month will help me be a better player, teammate and future draft pick.”

Hutchison was the Broncos’ catalyst in 2016-17 and was named first team All-Mountain West after improving his scoring average by almost 11 points per game from his sophomore season. The 6-foot-7, 193 pound guard was a four-star recruit out of Mission Viejo High in Southern California and is Boise State’s highest-ranked basketball recruit of all time. The Idaho Statesman confirmed that Hutchison worked out with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Hutchison’s entry marked the second consecutive year a Boise State player declared for the NBA Draft. James Webb III hired an agent after the 2015-2016 season but went undrafted, eventually signing with the Philadelphia 76ers and spent the season in the NBA Developmental League.

“I’ll continue to work on extending my shooting range and adding strength while keeping my mobility. The NBA is a grown man’s league, but I know if I work even harder than I did last year then by this time next season I will belong,” Hutchison said. “That’s all the motivation I need.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison to return for senior season."