Auburn point guard Jared Harper is entering the NBA Draft, but won't hire an agent so as to maintain his eligibility if he chooses to return for his junior season.

"Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine," Harper said in a statement. "I'm very thankful for how God has guided me through this journey along with the continuous support from my family.

"I would like to thank Coach Pearl, the entire coaching staff, my teammates and the fans for the continued support. War Eagle."

A Second Team All-SEC selection by the AP and league's coaches, Harper averaged 13.2 points as a sophomore last season, up from 11.4 as a freshman, and 5.4 assists. Harper shot 36 percent from the field including 35.5 percent from 3-poitn range and 82.2 percent from the free throw line last season, up from 70.5 the season before.

"Jared had a great sophomore season leading Auburn to a conference championship and being an all-conference player," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity for him to go through the process, get evaluated and grow his game. We're excited for Jared."

The deadline for players to enter the draft is April 22 and they can withdraw by June 11.

Harper is the second Auburn player to declare for the draft this offseason, joining Mustapha Heron, who intends to sign with an agent.

Auburn, which won a share of its first SEC regular-season championship since 1999 and went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, also lost backup point guard Davion Mitchell to a transfer last month.

James Crepea is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @JamesCrepea.