Guard Lykes heads for transfer portal
Miami Hurricanes senior guard Chris Lykes will not be turning pro after all. But he won’t be returning to UM either.
Lykes announced on Saturday night that he is entering the transfer portal instead of going pro.
In a Thursday morning web conference with reporters, Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said Lykes was moving on to a professional career, either in the NBA or Europe. Two days later, Lykes reversed course.
“After talking with my family and a few trustworthy people, the best decision for me is to return to college for another year and PROVE myself again,” Lykes wrote in an Instagram post. “With that being said I will be entering the transfer portal hoping for a fresh start . ... THANK YOU MIAMI.”
Although Lykes was a senior, the 2020-21 season is not being counted against player eligibility because it was played amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lykes injured his ankle in the second game of the season on Dec. 4 and never played again for the Hurricanes after a successful first three seasons at Miami.
Lykes, a quick 5-foot-7 guard, averaged 15.4 points per game as a junior in the 2019-20 season and 16.2 points per game as a sophomore the year before, leading the Hurricanes in scoring both of those seasons.
“It was always a dream of mine to follow in the footsteps of campus legends like Shane Larkin and Angel Rodriguez,” Lykes wrote. “I felt I could have the same impact on the game that they had and Coach L, along with his staff, believed in me the entire way. It took my confidence to the next level. It’s unfortunate that a number of seasons for me have been hindered with injuries and I wish I could’ve done more, but life teaches us to live in the moment and be grateful for everything we do have.
“It was a tough year for me mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, but I’m still standing and I’m proud of myself for that.”
Lykes joins fellow guards Earl Timberlake and Elijah Olaniyi as UM basketball players opting to transfer thus far this offseason after Miami finished 10-17 in a season that started filled with promise but was derailed by a number of injuries.
Timberlake and Olaniyi left the Hurricanes after one season. Timberlake was a freshman and Olaniyi transferred in from Stony Brook. During the season, freshman forward Matt Cross parted ways with UM.
Larrañaga said on Thursday that redshirt senior guard Kameron McGusty is “on a wait and see,” weighing out his pro potential versus returning to college.
Sophomore guard Isaiah Wong will check with the NBA’s Undergraduate Advisory Committee to find out where he stands with professional options, according to Larrañaga, who added on Thursday he expects guard Harlond Beverly and forward Anthony Walker to return.
Redshirt senior centers Nysier Brooks and Rodney Miller are also weighing their options, as is forward/center Deng Gak, a redshirt junior who was honored on the team’s Senior Night.
UM forward Sam Waardenburg announced on Wednesday afternoon that he is returning to the program for a sixth college season.