North Carolina freshman forward James Michael McAdoo will return to school for his sophomore season, UNC announced in a statement on Thursday.

McAdoo, who averaged 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Tar Heels during his freshman season, had been contemplating entering the NBA draft. McAdoo said in a statement that he consulted with his family, and UNC coach Roy Williams, before deciding to remain at UNC.

“I love being at Carolina and really enjoy competing with and being around my teammates and am excited about what we can do together next season,” McAdoo said. “… It’s been interesting to learn the information that Coach Williams has gathered, but I am ready to continue as a Tar Heel.”

Losing McAdoo would have dealt the Tar Heels another blow in an offseason that has already come with plenty of attrition. UNC had already lost underclassmen Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Kendall Marshall, all of whom last week declared their eligibility for the NBA draft.

But McAdoo’s return is a boost for the Heels, who especially relied on him late in his freshman season. After a slow start, McAdoo emerged to become a key contributor during the postseason.

He started three games in place of Henson, who suffered a left wrist injury in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. McAdoo averaged 10.6 points during UNC’s final seven games, and he scored a team-high 15 points during the Heels’ season-ending 80-67 defeat against Kansas in the NCAA tournament Midwest regional final.

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