The fourth and final member of Kentucky’s core four from 2019-2020 has made his decision. 

Big man Nick Richards announced on Twitter this morning that he is going to take his talents to the next level. 

“My No.1 goal when I came to Kentucky was to compete for a national championship. I’m sorry we didn’t have the chance to play for one this year,” he said in his statement. “Although I’d love nothing more than to achieve that goal, it is time for me to pursue my ultimate dream of becoming an NBA player.”

He added that he will be signing with an agency, which will officially end his college career. 

Richards was the 18th-ranked recruit in 247Sports’s 2017 class. He came to Kentucky with Kevin Knox, P.J. Washington and Jarred Vanderbilt. He did not have the immediate success some of his classmates experienced, but remained in school to work on his craft. 

After averaging 12.1 minutes, 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore, “Junior Nick Richards” became a force. He played nearly 30 minutes per game, scoring 14.0 points per game and snagging 7.8 rebounds per contest. 

He leaves Lexington alongside Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley, and as a member of both the First-Team All-SEC and SEC-All Defensive Team.