Razorback junior Marshawn Powell says he will enter the NBA draft

Photo: Walt Beazley, UA Athletics

Junior Razorback forward Marshawn Powell announced that he will forgo his senior season at Arkansas, and will enter his name into the 2013 NBA Draft.

“Decided that I’m entering the 2013#NBAdraft,” Powell posted on Tuesday. “Thank God for even being in this position.”

Razorback head coach Mike Anderson wished the star forward well in his departure.

“He had a tremendous junior season after recovering from a knee injury and was a big part of the success that we had this season,” Anderson said. “He is a skilled forward who can stretch the defense because of his ability to shoot. He can also create by putting it on the floor and has a nice post up game. I feel that his best basketball is in front of him.”

Powell was voted a second-team All-SEC performer by the league’s coaches, an honorable mention All-SEC player by the Associated Press, and was one of four unanimous selections to the SEC All-Freshman team selection in 2010 along with NBA first-round picks John Wall, Demarcus Cousins and Erik Bledsoe of Kentucky. This year, he became just the 35th player in Arkansas history to score 1,000 career points and ended the year. He is just the fifth Razorback ever to score 1,000 points, grab 450 rebounds, block 75 shots and dish 100 assists, a feat that only former Razorbacks Todd Day, Corliss Williamson, Scott Hastings and Ron Huery have accomplished in their careers.

Powell appears to have struggled with the decision to turn pro, Tweeting as recently as March 9 that “as of right now, I’m playing again next year as a Hog.”

He could still withdraw his name from the draft between now and June 17th as long as he does not hire an agent.

The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York.