After missing the majority of last season, James Blackmon Jr. will return to Indiana for his junior season.
Blackmon had entered his name into the NBA Draft, taking advantage of new rules allowing underclassmen to do so without hiring an agent and participate in team workouts while still being able to return to the college level with their NCAA eligibility intact.
But after learning more about his pro potential, he withdrew ahead of Wednesday night's deadline.
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Getting Blackmon back will almost be like adding a completely new player for Tom Crean, whose Hoosiers won a regular-season conference championship last season without Blackmon playing in a single Big Ten game.
Blackmon shone as a freshman, averaging 15.7 points and 5.3 rebounds during the 2014-15 campaign. Last year, he averaged 15.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 13 games and posted significantly better shooting numbers, shooting 48 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from 3-point range.
It was reported Tuesday that Troy Williams will forego his senior year at Indiana and stay in the draft, and the Hoosiers lose their best player with the graduation of Yogi Ferrell. But Blackmon's return as well as those of Thomas Bryant and O.G. Anunoby should make Indiana a formidable threat in the Big Ten in 2016-17.