By Matt Bradshaw —

After Ray Spalding’s announcement nearly a week ago, Deng Adel has also declared he will hire an agent and keep his name in the 2018 NBA draft.

Adel will skip his senior season and miss the chance to play under new head coach Chris Mack. The 6-foot-7 wing led Louisville in scoring as a junior, averaging 15 points per game.

Adel’s plans were first leaked by Yahoo Sports.

The Austrailia native confirmed his plans with a post on Instagram.

“Just want to start off by thanking my teammates, David Padgett, the whole basketball staff, and CardNation,” Adel said. “The past 3 years have been full of surprises, but to go through it with the city of Louisville and this great University has been a blessing because it shows how resilient and supporting this city is. I have decided to enter this year’s NBA draft with an agent and follow my lifelong dream of becoming a professional. Thank you Louisville!”

With the loss of Spalding and Adel, men’s basketball finds itself sorely lacking in upperclassmen. As of right now, the Cardinals will not have a senior for the upcoming 2018-19 season who had significant playing time this past season.

You can follow Matt Bradshaw on Twitter @bradmatt8.

Photo by Taris Smith / The Louisville Cardinal