Days after UK landed John Calipari, its star junior guard looks to be heading to the NBA. On Tuesday, Jodie Meeks declared he would enter the NBA Draft but not hire an agent, through a UK Athletics news release.

Not hiring an agent allows Meeks the opportunity to return to school if he chooses.

The NBA Draft will be on June 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and players without agents have until June 15 to remove their names from the hat and return to their college teams. If Meeks has not removed his name from the draft after June 15, he automatically foregoes his senior year whether or not he eventually gets drafted.

The last UK player to enter the draft early and return was Randolph Morris after his freshman season. Morris was not drafted in 2005 and was reinstated to UK, but only after sitting out the first half of the 2005-06 season. Because the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement prohibited Morris from entering another draft, he became a free agent in the NBA while still playing for UK. He eventually signed with the New York Knicks on March 23, 2007, just five days after UK lost to Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Many of the NBA Draft projection Web sites have Meeks going in the second round or not being drafted at all. NBAdraft.net does not have Meeks getting drafted in 2009. However, he’s projected as the No. 39 pick in 2010.

Chad Ford, a writer for ESPN.com, has Meeks as the No. 67 prospect and projected to go in the late-first round to the early second round. Ford lists Meeks’ athleticism, speed, scoring ability, shooting range and having an NBA body as positives.

However, Ford lists Meeks’ size, listed at six-foot-four, 204 pounds, being a one-dimensional player, not much of a passer and a need to improve ball handling skills as his negatives.

Meeks set numerous school and arena records this season while being named second-team All-American by the Associated Press. His 23.7 points per game was eighth-best in the nation. Among his record nights was a school-record 54 points against Tennessee on Jan. 13.

Meeks and his family were both unavailable for comment by press time.