IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine junior center Mamadou Ndiaye filed paperwork with the National Basketball Association office Thursday which makes him eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft.

The 7-6 Ndiaye spoke with UCI head coach Russell Turner and plans to test the waters without hiring an agent.

Ndiaye is attending spring-quarter classes at UCI and plans to remain in school while participating in pre-draft workouts.

Under a new NCAA rule this year, he will have until May 25 to withdraw his name from draft consideration and retain his collegiate eligibility.

He was named to the All-Big West Conference first team this season when he averaged 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.  Ndiaye was also named the Big West's Best Defensive Player for the second time in three years and was selected to the NABC All-District 9 second team.

He helped lead the Anteaters to a school-record 28 wins (28-10), 15 non-conference victories and 13 road wins this season.  UCI competed in the postseason for the fourth straight year, falling to Columbia, 73-67, in the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Anteaters shared the Big West regular-season title with Hawai'i this season.

Ndiaye's 218 career blocked shots rank No. 1 in UCI history and third in the Big West record book.

The 2016 NBA Draft will be held June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

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