LAWRENCE, Kan. – Upon graduating from the University of Kansas on Sunday with a communications degree, forward Dwight Coleby has announced he will transfer from the Kansas men’s basketball team, KU head coach Bill Self and Coleby announced on Monday. Having earned his degree, Coleby will be a graduate transfer and eligible to compete during the 2017-18 season.

“Dwight and I have visited about this multiple times since the end of our season and he has worked so hard academically to put himself in a position to make this decision,” Self said. “We wish Dwight nothing but the very best moving forward. He felt the opportunity to go to a place and have the option to play quite a bit more and have more of a significant role would enhance his chances to play professionally in the future.”

Coleby (6-foot-9, 240 pounds) joined the Kansas team in 2015-16 after playing two seasons at Ole Miss. Due to transfer rules, the Nassau, Bahamas, native sat out the 2015-16 season. As a redshirt junior Coleby played in 24 games for KU averaging 5.6 minutes, 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds. He tied his career high with 12 points at Texas on Feb. 25 and pulled down a season-high six rebounds against Baylor on Feb. 1.

“In talking with Coach (Self) about my future, I feel that this is what is best for my potential opportunities,” Coleby said. “I would like to thank the coaching staff for allowing me to come here. I’d like to thank my teammates for their support the past two years. I’d like to thank the fans for cheering me on and believing in me. KU is a part of my heart. It’s my alma mater and I am proud to have earned my degree from KU. I will always be a Jayhawk.”

This past season, Coleby had five games in which he played 10-plus minutes, including a season-high 20 against Georgia (Nov. 22) in the title game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic where he tied a career high with four blocked shots. Coleby also played key minutes in two of Kansas’ NCAA Tournament victories against Michigan State (March 19) and Purdue (March 23).

“We have truly enjoyed Dwight the past two years,” Self said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. It was unfortunate he tore his ACL his first year but he played a key role, especially late in the season, to the success we had this year. We not only support him but also agree that this could potentially help his post-college professional options. Dwight will always be looked upon by our program as a Jayhawk. We respect everything that he’s done in the time he has been here.”

For his career, Coleby has played in 86 games with seven starts averaging 11.5 minutes, 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds. In his final season at Ole Miss, he averaged 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 2014-15.

FOLLOW

Twitter @KUHoops

Instagram @kuhoops

Facebook /KansasBasketball

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.