This morning, Eagle Nation got big news from one of the top basketball players in Georgia Southern history.

{{tncms-inline account=”Tookie Brown” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I would like to start off by thanking god for allowing me to be in the position I am in. After many prayers and talking with my coaches and family. I‘ve decided to declare for the 2018 NBA Draft. I will not hire an agent so I can keep my eligibility at GSU <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GodsPlan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GodsPlan</a> <a href="https://t.co/lh9Zfbt9JC">pic.twitter.com/lh9Zfbt9JC</a></p>— Tookie Brown (@tookie_b) <a href="https://twitter.com/tookie_b/status/979029531930583050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2018</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/tookie_b/status/979029531930583050″ type=”twitter”}}

Three time first team All-Sun Belt junior guard Tookie Brown, announced on his personal Twitter account that he would be declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft.

“Its a win and win,” Brown said.  “I can come back here, play for Coach Byington and get my degree or I can go pro.”

Brown added that he would not be hiring an agent so that he may retain his eligibility to play with the Eagles.

“I haven’t talked to the scouts,” Brown said with a smile. “I just leave that in Coach B’s hands.”

Head coach Mark Byington had nothing but support for the junior.

“He has my 100 percent backing,” Byington said. “He’s either going to end up in the NBA or he’s going to come back to Georgia Southern and have a chance to be the best basketball player to ever play here.”

Brown makes this announcement coming off another impressive season at GS, where he averaged 18.9 ppg, 47.1 percent from beyond the arc and was named first team All-Sun Belt.

He was also named a finalist for the Lou Henson award which goes to the best mid-major player in Division 1.

“I just wanted to thank my teammates and my coaching staff for helping me get to this place right now,” Brown said when reminiscing that this may have been his last season with the Eagles. “It’s been great. Everyone in Statesboro is just one big family.”

GS has had five players drafted in the NBA, the most recent being forward Jeff Sanders in 1989 drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

The 2018 NBA Draft begins on June 21. 

McClain Baxley, The George-Anne Sports Editor, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu

Ian Leonard, The George-Anne Enterprise Managing Editor, gaspecial@georgiasouthern.edu