Winston Salem Times

Wake Forest grad student guard Ian DuBose is not planning on returning for an extra year of eligibility, and instead will work to begin his professional career, according to a release on March 23 from coach Steve Forbes.

DuBose averaged 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in the 11 games he played this season — starting in 10. After leading the Deacs down the stretch of a 71-60 win over Longwood in the second game of the season, DuBose missed more than two months of action. He scored 14 points, dished five assists, grabbed four rebounds and had three steals in the victory, making several key plays down the stretch to fuel the victory.

A Durham native, DuBose averaged 19 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game in his junior season at Houston Baptist before transferring to Wake Forest this season. DuBose announced his commitment to Wake Forest on March 30, 2020 under then-coach Danny Manning, then stuck with the Deacs after the coaching change.

“After many lengthy meetings with Ian since the end of our season, he and I have agreed it would be in his best interest to explore his professional basketball opportunities,” Forbes said in a school-issued release. “My staff and I will assist Ian and his family as he pursues his dream of playing professional basketball and completing his graduate degree at Wake Forest this summer.”

DuBose is one of two Wake Forest players — the other being fellow grad transfer Jonah Antonio — to pursue pro careers instead of taking up the extra year of eligibility given to student-athletes by the NCAA.

The senior departures mean that the Wake Forest coaching staff will have up to five scholarships to fill for the 2021-22 season. Scholarship players presumed to be on that roster include Isaiah Mucius, Daivien Williamson, Ody Oguama, Tariq Ingraham, Carter Whitt, Robert McCray and Cam Hildreth. As of a few days ago the staff added Indiana State transfer Jake LaRavia.