UM's Chaundee Brown declares for NBA Draft, passes on extra year of eligibility

Another Michigan senior is officially moving on.

Chaundee Brown announced Saturday that he will enter the NBA Draft and hire an agent, passing on the option to return to the Wolverines for another season.

The 6-foot-5 guard served as Michigan’s sixth man after spending three years as a starter at Wake Forest. He averaged eight points and 3.1 rebounds in 20.6 minutes, shot a career-high 41.9% from 3-point range and shined in his role.

Though he came off the bench for all but one game, Brown routinely made an impact with his infectious energy, tenacious defense and long-range shooting. He also came up big on numerous occasions and scored in double figures 10 times, highlighted by his 21-point outing in Michigan’s second-round NCAA Tournament win over LSU.

"He's a weapon. He's like Lou Will (Lou Williams)," grad transfer guard Mike Smith said in February, comparing Brown to one of the NBA's top reserves. "He's the type of person that wants the best for the team regardless of the situation that he's in. Every time he comes in the game, he does something to change the game. …He always comes in at the right times and does the right things."

In his farewell post on social media, Brown thanked the Michigan basketball staff and his teammates for “welcoming me into the fold and being a part of something special.”

“My experience has truly been a dream come true,” Brown wrote. “I will always be a part of the maize and blue family for life.”

With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility to all players due to COVID-19, Brown was able to come back for a second season with the Wolverines. Instead, he opted to join Smith in taking the next step and pursuing a pro career.

In addition to Brown and Smith, Isaiah Livers is expected to move on and turn pro. Franz Wagner, who is a projected lottery pick, will likely follow suit, while Hunter Dickinson could test the draft waters and gather feedback after his stellar freshman season.

The Wolverines are also awaiting decisions from Eli Brooks and Austin Davis, the team’s other seniors who are eligible to return and wouldn’t count against Michigan's scholarship limit next season if they came back.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @jamesbhawkins