COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Keita Bates-Diop is not only declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, he's officially cutting the cord from the Ohio State basketball program.

New of Bates-Diop's venture into the pros broke on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon the junior forward and reigning Big Ten Player of the Year confirmed that he will in fact sign with an agent and eliminate the possibility of returning to Ohio State next season.

Players are allowed to declare for the draft, go through workouts and the scouting combine if invited, and still return to college provided they don't sign with an agent and also withdraw their name from draft consideration by June 11 (10 days before this year's NBA Draft).

The 2018 NBA Draft will be held in June 21 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Bates-Diop is projected anywhere from just outside the lottery to the early second round in mock drafts. He should get a chance to improve on his draft stock at the combine, held May 16-20 in Chicago.

Bates-Diop signing with an agent is a benefit to Ohio State in that the coaching staff can move forward knowing it has that extra roster spot open. Though it could change the plans some. The Buckeyes seemed poised to add a graduate transfer this off-season either way, now they'll pursue another player for the roster spot Bates-Diop is opening up. Two additions could be coming to the roster before next season.

Bates-Diop started all 34 games for an Ohio State team that finished second in the Big Ten and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Gonzaga. He averaged 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from 3-point range.