By Paul M. Banks
Someone on DePaul will get drafted by the NBA? Seriously?! Yes, it may be hard to believe, given how awful the program has been lately, but Junior forward Mac Koshwal declared early for the draft, and you’ll see his name in second round of many mock drafts. The lanky big man tested the waters last year, so he’s in to stay this year.
CHICAGO – DePaul University announced that junior Mac Koshwal has entered his name in the 2010 NBA Draft and will not return to the program. The forward/center went through the NBA Draft evaluation process following the 2008-09 season and is not eligible to return to school.
“We’re sorry that we won’t have the opportunity to work with Mac during his senior season and see him finish his career at DePaul with his degree,” said head coach Oliver Purnell. “We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
In 81 career games over three seasons, Koshwal averaged 12.6 points and 9.3 rebounds while starting 76 times. He totaled 27 double-doubles and 58 career games in double-figures. Koshwal also gathered at least 10 rebounds in 37 career games including a career-high 22 rebounds against Creighton on Dec. 23, 2008.
Koshwal is ranked among DePaul’s all-time leaders in rebounding average (10th – 9.3 rpg), total rebounds (11th – 750), field goal percentage (12th – .522), steals (23rd – 114 steals) and career scoring (44th – 1,019 pts.). In the final game of the regular-season against St. John’s this season, he became the 46th player in program history with 1,000 career points.
During his junior season, Koshwal was just one of three BIG EAST players to average a double-double with 16.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Jamine Peterson of Providence (19.6 ppg/10.2 rpg) and Seton Hall’s Herb Pope (11.5 ppg/10.7 rpg) also averaged at least 10 points and 10 boards throughout the season. He totaled 16 games in double-figures and 11 double-doubles and finished the season strong averaging 20.6 points and 10.6 rebounds over the final seven games of the season.