4/22/2021 basketball Edit

Warith Alatishe Declares For NBA Draft

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

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Oregon State junior forward Warith Alatishe has announced that he's declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward was a crucial part of Oregon State's Elite Eight run this past season, averaging 9.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, & 1.39 blocks per game.

He was named the Pac-12 Tournament MVP after helping lead the Beavers to wins over UCLA, Oregon, & Colorado to reach the NCAA Tournament.

By not hiring an agent and maintaining his college eligibility, Alatishe has left the door open to return to Corvallis if he so chooses. This isn't uncommon for college athletes or OSU, as in recent years Stephen Thompson Jr., Tres Tinkle, & Ethan Thompson all entered the process early only to return the following season.

Speaking with Oregon State radio play-by-play voice Mike Parker on OSU's Chew on This Podcast earlier this week, head coach Wayne Tinkle alluded to Alatishe going down this road but is confident that he'll be back in the fold next season.

"He's going to go through the testing of the waters because he's hopeful a year from now that he's going to get that experience, so why not a dress rehearsal?" Tinkle said. "He's fully committed to coming back, so that'll be a neat deal for him to learn what he needs to work on. We're excited for his offseason and what he'll be able to do next year."

Alatishe will have until Monday, July 19th at 5 p.m. ET to officially withdraw his name from NBA Draft consideration.