James will not hire an agent and has until June 18 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.
"This is an opportunity that I want to take advantage of," said James. "Coach (Tom Crean) and I talked about our goals at the beginning of the season and one was the option of being drafted. The time is now to take advantage of that option."
James averaged 14.9 points per game to lead the Golden Eagles last season. For his efforts, he was named to the Big East all-conference first team and was named an All-American honorable mention selection.
"You have to give your players a chance to chase their dreams," said Crean. "If not, you aren’t building your program the right way or doing the right thing."
"Right now, it’s a win, win situation," added James. "I can work and get better in the off-season. Hopefully, I can be a pro someday. If that time isn’t now, I can come back to Marquette and be a better player for me and my team."
