Emeka Okafor is graduating with honors a year ahead of schedule.
STORRS, Conn. (AP) – Emeka Okafor is headed to the NBA, leaving Connecticut with everything he wanted when he arrived three years ago: a degree and an NCAA championship.

The All-America center announced Friday he’ll skip his final year of college eligibility and enter June’s NBA draft.

“When I was first walking on campus and wondering what I was doing in Connecticut, I didn’t know that the best three years of my life were going to happen,” Okafor said.

“When I look back and just see how things turn out, you see a smile right here. That says it all.”

The 6-foot-10 junior is one of four players in school history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, and he blocked a UConn-record 441 shots.

He finished his college career with 24 point and 15 rebounds in the national title game against Georgia Tech, earning the Most Outstanding Player award at the Final Four.

Also an academic All-America, Okafor will graduate with honors in May, a year ahead of schedule. His coach Jim Calhoun quipped that the finance major doesn’t have to leave quite so soon.

“I still maintain there’s a tremendous master’s degree program here for the Emeka Okafors of the world,” Calhoun said.

Okafor is the second UConn underclassman to declare for the NBA draft this week, joining junior guard Ben Gordon.

Calhoun first caught sight of Okafor as a raw high school talent in Houston, Texas. The tall youngster still needed to work on his offense but was quick on his feet. Calhoun first learned of Okafor through former NBA player and coach John Lucas, whose son played at Okafor’s high school.

“He called and said, “We’ve got a great big kid here,”‘ Calhoun recalled.

Now that “big kid” will take his skills to the pros.

“I plan to do that the same way I did it here,” Okafor said. “Just go into the gym every day, work hard and let things work themselves out. It’s a blessing for me to be in my position. I’m there. I’m happy. I’m going to work hard.”

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