North Carolina Tar Heels freshman forward Nassir Little has declared for the 2019 NBA Draft and will forgo his remaining three years of eligibility, he announced Monday. Little has been slotted in as a projected first-round pick throughout the majority of the collegiate season, currently tabbed to go No. 17 overall, according to ESPN's latest mock draft. Little had this to say, via ESPN, about his decision to enter the pro ranks:

“I am declaring for the 2019 draft with the intention to start my NBA career. I am going to work extremely hard throughout the pre-draft process and my entire career to continue to grow as a player and person. I feel like I have a very high ceiling as a player, and I plan to reach that ceiling through consistent hard work.”

Little arrived on campus as a five-star recruit who was not only named a McDonald's All-American, but was also awarded the MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game and co-MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic. His place on the high school ranking boards fluctuated, but Rivals had him as the No. 2 player in this year's freshman class.

Unlike some of his fellow freshman standouts, Little saw his minutes limited during his lone season on campus in Chapel Hill, averaging just 18.2 minutes per game for a North Carolina squad that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before they were eliminated in the Sweet 16. Little averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor overall, including 26.9 percent from behind the 3-point line.