South Carolina F A.J. Lawson declares for NBA draft

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina leading scorer A.J. Lawson is entering the NBA draft for a second straight season.

Gamecocks coach Frank Martin confirmed Sunday that Lawson would not hire an agent, meaning he could return to the team for his junior season.

Lawson is a 6-foot-6 forward from Toronto, Canada considered an NBA prospect when he stepped on campus two seasons ago. He entered the draft last year, but was not invited to the league’s combine. He held individual workouts for several teams before coming back to the Gamecocks.

He started all 31 games this season at South Carolina, averaging a team-best 13.4 points a game. The NBA draft combine is scheduled for May 21-24.