AUBURN, Alabama — Auburn guard Danjel Purifoy does not plan to pursue a professional career and will instead return to Auburn next season.

Purifoy made the announcement Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the NCAA ruled the guard/forward will be eligible to play after sitting out the first nine games of the 2018-19 season.

"Yes," Purifoy tweeted, "I am coming back next year."

Purifoy sat out the entire 2017-18 season as Auburn reviewed information related to allegations his family received money funneled through former Auburn assistant head coach Chuck Person. The allegations led to the arrest of Person on federal bribery and fraud charges. Auburn center Austin Wiley was also forced to sit throughout the 2017-18 season because of allegations Person funneled money to his family.

Purifoy averaged 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2016-17.

Purifoy was said to be happy and "excited" about the decision, according to the Auburn University president's office.

"We worked diligently with the NCAA on behalf of both our student-athletes who were ineligible this season,” Auburn president Steve Leath said in a statement released Tuesday evening. “The process was arduous, but it was important that we do everything we could to put Danjel Purifoy and Austin Wiley in the best position to resume their Auburn basketball careers. We're happy for them and their teammates and coaches."

Purifoy was held out his first year at Auburn as he worked through academic issues in 2015. Purifoy was the state of Alabama’s No. 1 prospect in 2015 and was rated a 4-star forward out of Hargrave Military Academy in 247Sports’ Composite rankings.

Auburn struggled with depth issues throughout the 2017-18 season, but managed to win the school's third SEC championship while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003. Auburn was eliminated from the second round of the NCAA Tournament by Clemson on Sunday.

Wiley is eligible to participate in the 2018-19 season but is expected to test the NBA Draft waters before deciding whether to return to Auburn.

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