It’s official. J’Covan Brown will forgo his senior year and enter the 2012 NBA Draft.

"There were a lot of reasons to come back to school next year, most importantly getting my degree and being around my teammates every day," Brown said in a statement released by the university. "But the time has come for me to pursue a career in professional basketball and take care of my daughter, Jordyn. This has been a difficult decision, but it is the best decision for myself and my family."

The 21 year old played three years at Texas where he blossomed into a prolific scorer. He averaged 9.6 a game his freshman year, and averaged a conference-best 20 points per contest this season. He played strong defense this year averaging 1.2 steals a game, and he proved able to dish the ball around to his teammate. He was also is a member of the Big 12 all-academic team.

However, Brown was forced to carry a Longhorn team that struggled to find a complimentary star all year. Texas exited the NCAA tournament in its first game against Cincinnati.

Despite his grit and intelligence as a leader for Texas this year, draft analysts question Brown’s size. He is small for an NBA shooting guard, so he is a consensus late, first-round or second-round selection. He would suit teams like Toronto or Portland who are looking for shooting guards and they can afford Brown’s lack of height. Both teams have early second round picks.

Brown’s departure means Texas only has a six-man roster heading into the 2012-2013 season. The Longhorns will feature a corps of then-sophomores and possibly top-10 prospect Cameron Ridely. The 6’ 10” Bush High School senior will make his official collegiate decision on April 10.