per ESPN.com...

Fresno State junior forward Chris Jefferies declared for the NBA draft, a source close to Jefferies told ESPN.com.

Jefferies was expected to declare for the draft but waited until the final weekend to send in the letter to the NBA. The deadline to declare is Sunday.

Jefferies averaged 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds a game for the Bulldogs before suffering a knee injury that forced to him to have surgery and miss the final 13 games of the season.

Jefferies, who is from Fresno, started his career at Arkansas as one of the top freshmen in the SEC. He transferred and played two seasons for the hometown Bulldogs.

NBA scouts project him as a potential first-round pick. The 6-foot-7 Jefferies can put the ball on the floor and drive without hesitation. He has range to the 3-point line and is a decent offensive rebounder. Jefferies is also a solid defender, but he needs to go to Chicago and work out for NBA teams to prove his knee is healthy.