Tucson, AZ (Best E Casino) - University of Arizona sophomore forward Chase Budinger announced Tuesday he will submit his name into the 2008 NBA draft, just two days after Wildcats freshman point guard Jerryd Bayless declared his intentions to turn pro.

Budinger will not sign with an agent, leaving him the option of returning to school for his junior season provided he withdraws his name from the draft by the June 16 deadline. Bayless, who made his decision public Sunday, is already seeking the services of an agent.

"It's always been my goal to play in the NBA," said Budinger. "And I feel like I need to take the next step to be able to do that. This is a good time for me to get some feedback on my game."

A 6-foot-7, 203-pounder from Encinitas, Calif., Budinger averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game during his second season in Tucson. He also became the 42nd player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark during his career, and just the sixth sophomore to do so.

The Wildcats finished 19-15 on the season -- 8-10 in Pac-10 conference games -- and were ousted by West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament's first round. Head coach Lute Olson, who took a season-long leave of absence from his team, announced shortly after the tournament loss that interim head coach Kevin O'Neill would not be retained for the 2008-09 campaign.

"Obviously, we hope that (Budinger) is going to return," said Olson. "I'm happy that he is going through the evaluation process. That way he will be able to come back if he decides that it's the best thing for him. Chase is a very intelligent person and I know he just wants continue to improve as a player."

As a freshman in 2006-07, Budinger averaged 15.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game en route to second-team freshman All-America honors.