COVINGTON, Ga. — Former Newton basketball star JD Notae announced his decision Sunday, April 3, to declare for the NBA Draft. Notae, who spent his college career at Jacksonville and Arkansas, made his decision public via his Instagram account. 

“The past three years at Arkansas have been the best of my life,” Notae’s statement read. “I wouldn’t trade the memories I’ve made for anything, and Fayetteville will always hold a special place in my heart. I’ve dreamt about playing professional basketball since I was young and after careful consideration, I have decided to sign with an agent and enter my name in the 2022 NBA Draft.” 

Notae concludes his collegiate career averaging 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game. 

In his final year with Arkansas, Notae collected quite a few accolades. 

He was named to the AP All-American Third Team in addition to the All-SEC First Team. Notae also led the Razorbacks to the Elite Eight after defeating Vermont, New Mexico State and Gonzaga, who was a No. 1 seed in the bracket. 

Notae included in his announcement a few special people who he wanted to thank. 

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for the gift to play the game that I love. I also want to thank my family/support system for their never-ending support and their guidance throughout this process. I want to thank my teammates and coaching staff for believing in me and putting me in a position to be successful. Thank you Razorback nation, it’s been a pleasure to play in front of the best fans in the nation!” 

The 2022 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.