Pitino expects Onuaku to stay in NBA draft

The deadline for underclassmen who have declared for the 2016 NBA Draft to decide if they will be returning to school is a little over a week away, but Rick Pitino believes he already knows one player's answer.

The Louisville head coach said Tuesday that he expects Chinanu Onuaku, the Cardinals' All-ACC Defensive Team center, to stay in the draft and take his game to the next level.

"There are certain players who waffle and come back because they're not sure," Pitino said, according to WRDB's Eric Crawford. "(Onuaku's) desire has been to go forth 100 percent and try and go to the league this year. That's been his family's and his mindset. I'm behind it 100 percent, and our staff is, too.

"From the day he left school, I'd resigned myself (to) saying he was going. Everything I've been planning is that he's staying in the draft."

The 6-foot-10 center averaged 9.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and two blocks as a sophomore, and is currently projected to be selected 38th overall in Draft Express' mock draft. That would make Onuaku an early second-round pick, though Pitino believes he can move into the top round.

"If he works out well for certain teams, he could sneak into the first round," Pitino said. "No different than what Terry (Rozier) did last year by working extremely hard."

Onuaku successfully underwent minor heart surgery Tuesday, a procedure Pitino said shouldn't affect the Cardinal's draft status. The surgery is expected to keep Onuaku out of action for less than a week.