LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The hardest decision of Ben McLemore's life turned out to be no question at all.

Kansas coach Bill Self made sure of it.

Ben McLemore, an expected lottery pick, announced Tuesday that he will enter the NBA draft. AP Photo/Orlin Wagner

The talented guard announced Tuesday that he will enter the NBA draft after perhaps the most successful season by a freshman in the school's proud basketball history. And just in case he thought twice about passing up professional riches, Self was ready to shove him out the door.

"Ben kept telling us in February, 'Don't worry about getting anybody else. I'm coming back,' " Self recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, right. You want to make a public announcement?' ... If he told me he wanted to come back, I would have told him, 'We need to look at this again.' "

That's because McLemore's stock couldn't be much higher.

The second-team All-American is expected to be a lottery pick in June after breaking the Jayhawks' freshman scoring record held by Danny Manning. McLemore averaged nearly 16 points for a team that went 31-6 and won a share of its ninth straight Big 12 championship.

"My mom, we talked, my family, talked to the coaches, and I made the decision that I'm going to enter the NBA draft," said McLemore, who had several family members on hand at Allen Fieldhouse.

"I think it's the best opportunity to help me and my family out," he said, "and even as a kid, that's what I wanted to do. I have an opportunity to provide for my family."

McLemore is the third Kansas freshman coached by Self to leave school early. Shooting guard Xavier Henry was selected 12th overall by Memphis in 2010, and point guard Josh Selby was a late second-round pick of the Grizzlies the following year.

McLemore was forced to redshirt last season when he was declared a partial qualifier by the NCAA, but he made the most of his only season in Lawrence. With a dizzying array of dunks, a silky smooth outside shot and a boyish grin, he quickly became one of the school's top players. He even graced a regional cover for Sports Illustrated prior to the start of the NCAA tournament.

"Growing up, I wasn't the kid to be a fighter, like that, but coming to college, I had to mature and understand how I need to be to go play at the next level," McLemore said. "I have to thank the coaching staff for that."