Washington freshmen Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray have declared for the NBA draft and will sign with agents.

The decision ends their college careers after one season and issues a blow to the Huskies' hopes of getting back to the NCAA tournament next season. However, it didn't come as a surprise.

Chriss, who is 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, is considered a likely first-round pick and could be selected in the lottery, according to several NBA executives. He averaged 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and shot 35 percent from 3-point range.

Murray is a 6-foot-4 guard who averaged 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

Washington finished this season 19-15 overall and 9-9 in Pac-12 play. There were hopes among Washington supporters that one or both would consider returning for their sophomore season after the Huskies suffered a number of narrow losses that cost them an NCAA bid and with highly touted high school star Markelle Fultz joining the team next season.

Marquese Chriss is considered a likely first-round pick in the NBA draft and could be selected in the lottery, according to several NBA executives. Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar was not available for comment, the school said. Washington was eliminated from the NIT with a second-round loss to San Diego State on Monday. Asked at the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas what next season could be like if all of his players returned, Romar said, "Having a lot of fun. That's what I would say."

"I would like to thank Coach Romar, U-Dub and everyone else that has put me in this position," Murray wrote on Twitter on Wednesday night. "I'm excited for the journey ahead and truly blessed."

Now the Huskies will try to fill two significant gaps, along with the loss of senior Andrew Andrews, the No. 3 scorer in school history. It also will turn up the pressure on Romar after Washington missed the NCAAs for a fifth straight season. Neither Chriss nor Murray was recruited with the idea that he would be a one-and-done player.

"I think we have a group of guys -- guys coming in, guys sitting out, guys that will have more experience," Romar said at the Pac-12 tournament. "We'll wait and see what happens with all of that, but I like our group."

Despite Washington missing the NCAAs, both Chriss and Murray had plenty of opportunity to flash the potential the NBA is seeking.

Chriss has the ability to play on the low block and stretch his game beyond the 3-point line. He was a late arrival to basketball, only taking up the game seriously when he got to high school, but he has athleticism and jumping ability that will be sought after. The knock on Chriss as a freshman was that he often overcommitted on defense and got into foul trouble. He played just 25 minutes per game and fouled out of 15 games, the most of any player since 1996, according to STATS.

Despite his playing time being limited by the foul trouble, Chriss had games of 29, 27 and 24 points.

"Washington and coach Romar believed in me before anyone else and I am forever grateful to them for that," Chriss wrote on Twitter.

As the season progressed, Murray came on with his ability to get between defenders and hit a variety of shots around the basket. He had a handful of standout moments, including a 34-point, 11-rebound game against Arizona State in conference play. He scored 25 points or more six times and was a second-team all-Pac-12 selection.

ESPN's Jeff Goodman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.