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 Western Carolina guard Kevin Martin, who just completed his junior season with the Catamounts, has announced that he will remain eligible for the upcoming National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. |
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June 17, 2004
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina guard Kevin Martin, who just completed his junior season with the Catamounts, has announced that he will remain eligible for the upcoming National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.
"I had until 5:00 pm (ET) to make this decision and I did not make my decision to stay in the draft until 10 minutes till," Martin said. "I would like to thank everyone in Cullowhee and Ohio who gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream. I would also like to give a special thanks to my teammates and coaching staff for putting me in a position to succeed."
This past season, Martin ranked second nationally in scoring and won his second straight Southern Conference scoring title with a 24.9 points per game average. He ranked 11th nationally in scoring as a freshman (22.1 ppg) and 10th nationally as a sophomore (22.8 ppg). Martin, who ranked either first or second in the NCAA in scoring all season, is a three-time, first team All-Southern Conference pick and, this past season, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District teams.
"I wish Kevin the best of luck in pursuing his dream," said WCU head coach Steve Shurina. "I am glad we had him here for three years. We still have great talent coming back next year and I look forward to continue building this program."
A native of Zanesville, Ohio, Martin scored 1,838 points through three seasons at Western. His total ranks fourth on the WCU all-time list, while ranking as the Catamounts' leading scorer since the school joined the NCAA Division I ranks for the 1976-77 season. Western Carolina's all-time top three scorers include Henry Logan (3,290 points from 1965-68), Mel Gibson (2,021 points from 1960-63) and Ronald Rogers (1,960 points from 1950-53).
Martin also ranks among the WCU career leaders in 3-pointers made (third with 174), 3-pointers attempted (third with 503), free throws made (third with 534) and steals (ninth with 134). While he still has one more year of eligibility, his career scoring average of 23.3 currently ranks third and his 84.1 career free throw percentage currently ranks second.
On the WCU single-season lists, his 673 points in 2003-04 ranks ninth, his 24.9 2003-04 season scoring average ranks eighth and his 206 free throws made in 2003-04 ranks sixth.
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