Charles Garcia ends Seattle U career for NBA

Charles Garcia, junior forward for the Seattle University men's basketball team, announced Monday he will declare for the NBA draft at the end of the season.

Garcia will hire an agent, effectively ending his collegiate basketball career. 
"We have had an amazing winning season that I hope ends in a postseason tournament," Garcia said a statement released by the university. "It has always been a dream of mine to have an opportunity to play in the NBA. I want to thank Seattle University, Coach Dollar and my teammates for putting me in this position. I also want to thank the city of Seattle for all their love and support."

The star forward finished the season with an average of 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Garcia helped the Redhawks to a 17-14 season finish. He led the team in scoring 18 times with a season high of 41 points against Wofford College. Wofford was the regular season champion in the South Division of the Southern Conference. 
Tuesday, Garcia was named Independent Player of the Year by the coaches and sports information directors of the seven Division I independent schools.


"There may be a handful of players in the country who have as much upside as Charles. I am extremely proud of how he has grown and developed throughout the year," said head coach Cameron Dollar. "I support his decision 100 percent and look forward to watching him reach his tremendous potential in the NBA. I will be forever grateful for all he has done for the university and our basketball program."

Last month, Mike Seely of the Seattle Weekly complemented Garcia's dexterity and athleticism but said his game would benefit from some polishing.

"He's prone to defensive lapses and asinine fouls; he's sometimes slow to pass out of double teams and lacks a signature post move; and while the form on his outside shot is sound, he'll need to connect with more consistency in order to garner regular minutes in the pros," Mike Seely wrote in an article titled "Free in the Key" published Feb. 10.

While nbadraft.net has Garcia as a low second-rounder, Bill Hogan, Director of Athletics at Seattle U, said he would be surprised to see Garcia not get picked in the first round.

"It's about athletic skill, and that's where he'll probably shine," Hogan told Seattle Weekly. "We're supportive of him; we want him to do well. We really enjoyed having him here, but if you have a chance to do this, it's one in a lifetime, and you have to pounce on it."

Taylor may be reached at sports@su-spectator.com