Eric Ayala Withdraws From 2021 NBA Draft, Returns to Maryland

On Wednesday, the Maryland Terrapins got some exciting news as reports surfaced that star guard Eric Ayala announced he would be withdrawing from the 2021 NBA Draft and returning to campus. This should be a tremendous boost for Mark Turgeon and his staff as they look to build off last year’s NCAA Tournament appearance.

Ayala arrived on campus in 2018 as a highly regarded recruit. He was ranked as a four-star prospect and the 78th player in the 2018 class by 247Sports. And since arriving on campus, he’s largely lived up to the hype. He’s played three productive seasons for the Terps and averaged 33.6 minutes, 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season. He was a key piece of Maryland’s run to the Big Ten title two years ago.

And because of that production, Ayala should provide quite a boost for the Terps this season. He should solidify the team’s backcourt alongside newcomer Fatts Russell and make Maryland one of the Big Ten’s more dangerous teams entering the fall. There are a lot of new pieces, so there’s going to be some uncertainty, but everything’s there with Ayala back in the fold to do some serious damage.

The biggest weight now hanging over the Terps is Aaron Wiggins’ decision. He recently had a nice performance at the NBA Combine, so fans will have to be a little hesitant about believing he’ll be back next season. The deadline to withdraw is July 7th.