Starkville - Mississippi State center Tolu Smith announced on Sunday that he would be declaring for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
The 6'11" senior was named a First Team All-SEC selection during the 2022-23 season after averaging 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds while leading the conference with a 57.2% field goal percentage.
Smith wrote the following message on Twitter and thanked the Mississippi State fans, God, his family, and Head Coach Chris Jans for his experiences in Starkville:
"Thank you Bulldog family for cheering us on and for packing The Hump on our journey to the NCAA Tournament. Wearing the Maroon and White and building a legacy means a lot to me and my family"
"I'm very thankful to God and my family for putting the game of basketball in my life. It's a blessing that I don't take for granted, and the game has taught me so many valuable lessons."
"I'm so grateful for my family. My passion and my drive to be the best I can be is built from your love and your support.."
"I'm appreciative of Coach Jans and my teammates. I trust in his leadership and I believe in the program that he's building."
"After many conversations with family and much prayer, I'm going to enter the NBA Draft process while maintaining my college eligibility. Thank you Bulldog family for your support."
The 6'11" center played a vital piece in Mississippi State first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019. Smith scored a 28 points in the Bulldogs' SEC Tournament victory over Florida, and scored over 20 points nine times while tacking on 12 double-doubles.
The Bay St. Louis, Mississippi native began his college career at Western Kentucky and transferred back home to Mississippi State after one season. He redshirted his initial season with the program during the 2019-20 season due to the transfer rules at the time, and has started 82 games for the Bulldogs over the past three seasons.
During his Mississippi State career, Smith was a three-time All-SEC Academic Honor Roll, a All-SEC First Team performer during the 2022-23 season, and the 2023 Bailey Howell Trophy winner, given to the top college player in Mississippi.
Smith has one year of eligibility remaining and will have until the May 31st Early Entry Withdrawal deadline to make a final decision.
