COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As expected, Ohio State redshirt junior forward and Big Ten Player of the Year Keita Bates-Diop is headed to the NBA, cleveland.com has confirmed.

The news was first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday.

A source told cleveland.com that Bates-Diop is expected to formally announce his decision at a 2 p.m. news conference on Monday.

Bates-Diop had 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 2017-18 to help the Buckeyes reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament after missing it the previous two seasons. He shot 48 percent from the floor and almost 36 percent from 3-point range.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony had Bates-Diop ranked as the No. 19 player in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Bates-Diop's breakout season was instrumental in helping the Buckeyes and first-year coach Chris Holtmann reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. He played just nine games in the 2016-17 season after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his leg.

The 22 year old fourth-year junior graduated from Ohio State in December.

More on Bates-Diop:

* Keita Bates-Diop's NBA decision hangs over an interesting Ohio State basketball offseason

* The driving force behind Keita Bates-Diop's resurgent season as Ohio State's star hits the NCAA Tournament stage

* Keita Bates-Diop wins Big Ten Player of the Year: Ohio State basketball news

* Ohio State basketball: How Chris Holtmann, Keita Bates-Diop made each other best in the Big Ten

* Watch Bates-Diop's Senior Night speech