On Monday, sophomore guard Johnell Davis became the second FAU Owl this week to declare for the 2023 NBA Draft, as he announced via Instagram. 

“I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, faculty and staff, athletic administration, fellow students, and fans who have welcomed me with open arms to Boca Raton and the FAU community,” said Davis’ announcement. “FAU is and always will be my second home.”

With his announcement, Davis joins fellow sophomore guard Alijah Martin, who declared for the draft on Sunday night. 

Both Davis and Martin are looking to become the first Owls drafted in the program’s 35-year history; However, they committed to returning to FAU if they choose to withdraw from the draft. 

“I will ‘test the waters’ and enter the 2023 NBA Draft, while maintaining my NCAA eligibility to return to Florida Atlantic University next season,” read Davis’ announcement. 

Davis, a Gary, Ind., native, has spent the past three seasons at FAU, and just as the team made a surprise emergence this year, so did he. 

After averaging 6.8 points per game a season ago, this past year Davis burgeoned into, arguably, the best scorer on the roster, leading the team with an average 13.8 points per game. 

He scored 15+ points on 15 different occasions this past season earning him the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year award and first team all-conference honors; But none of those performances were as memorable as his 29-point, 12-rebound outing against Fairleigh Dickinson University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

That night Davis became the first player in tournament history to record 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals in a single game, helping the Owls advance to their first Sweet 16 appearance in program history.

The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Cameron Priester is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @PriesterCameron