Dee Brown will enter the 2005 NBA Draft

University of Illinois junior guard Dee Brown has announced that he will make himself available for the 2005 NBA Draft. Brown earned consensus first-team All-America honors during the 2004-05 season. He was the Sporting News National Player of the Year, a Wooden Award All-American and was named both the Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Brown ranked second on the Illini in scoring, averaging 13.3 points, and reached double figures in 29 games.

Dee Brown became a prolific long-range shooter this past season, ranking 12th in the nation with a 3-point field goal percentage of 43.4 percent (99-228). He was second in the Big Ten with 99 three-pointers (2.5 per game), which is the second highest single-season total in school history. Brown was second on the Illini and third in the Big Ten in assists, averaging 4.5 apg, while leading the team and ranking third in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 1.8 spg. He also led the team and ranked third in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio (2.42).

"We certainly understand Dee and his family's desire to more closely explore his NBA options and gain a better understanding of where his position would be in the draft," Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said. "We will continue to educate Dee about his standing through feedback from his team workouts, and we hope that whatever decision he ultimately makes, that it's in his best interest for his long-term future."

Brown has not signed with an agent. Under NCAA rules, a student-athlete who declares for the draft but does not sign with an agent has up until one week before the draft to withdraw his name in order to retain his collegiate eligibility. The deadline to withdraw from this year's draft is June 21, while the 2005 NBA Draft will be held on June 28.