Yogi Ferrell on his return: 'I want to leave a legacy'

Junior guard Yogi Ferrell will return to Indiana for his final college season, according to an official release from Indiana University. Ferrell had been seriously considering leaving for the NBA.

Indiana confirmed the report in an afternoon news release Sunday.

With Ferrell, a Park Tudor graduate, back in the fold, Indiana could be ranked in the top 15 nationally and will be considered a Big Ten front-runner next season. He's currently 22nd all-time at Indiana in scoring, with 1,379 points, and he has led the Hoosiers in assists in all three of his seasons in college.

"I have decided that it is in my best interests to continue my education, to build on my involvement in the community, and to improve my skills as a basketball player as a member of the 2015-16 IU men's basketball team," Ferrell said in the release.

Ferrell was an All-Big Ten selection as a junior, and he should be on the short list for preseason player of the year honors next fall. Should he stay healthy and IU plays more than 33 games next season, Ferrell will also leave Indiana with career records for starts and appearances. He has started all 102 games in which he has played in college.

"I truly want to leave a legacy of accomplishments at IU, like the great IU legends of the past," Ferrell said in the release. "I plan to lead my returning teammates and our incoming players to our goal of achieving great things next year in Assembly Hall."

He had planned to make a formal announcement at a new conference Saturday night, but that was postponed in light of the death of IU student Hannah Wilson earlier this week.

Bringing Ferrell back means Indiana will retain all of its regular starters from last season. Troy Williams and James Blackmon Jr. have already announced their intentions to return for another season in college.

McDonald's All American big man Thomas Bryant headlines a 2015 class expected to bolster the Hoosiers' frontcourt, which was thin and often overmatched in 2014-15.

"We will always support Yogi in his career and life paths, and returning to Indiana affords him an opportunity to leave an indelible mark in the proud history of the Hoosier program," IU coach Tom Crean said in the release. "More importantly, he will earn an IU degree to carry with him the rest of his life. His continued growth and development on the court will provide him longevity at the next level and a bright future."

Indiana is currently oversigned by one scholarship, with three freshmen set to join the program in the summer.

Follow Star reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.