Kentucky freshman guard Keldon Johnson is declaring for the 2019 NBA draft, the school announced Wednesday.
Johnson intends to gauge feedback during the draft's evaluation process before deciding if he'll hire an agent or return to Kentucky for next season.
"I've spent a lot of time over the last week thinking about what's best for me and my future," Johnson said. "I've sat down with my family and Coach (John Calipari) and determined that testing the waters and getting information back from the NBA is the best thing for me at this time.
"My hope is to be a lottery pick. If I am, I plan on pursuing my dreams and staying in the draft, but I want to go through the process first and get the correct information."
According to ESPN, Johnson is projected to go 20th overall in the draft, five spots off his goal of being a lottery pick.
He averaged 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in 37 games with the Wildcats in his freshman season and helped secure a trip to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight before losing to Auburn.
