Former Kansas commit Billy Preston, the No. 18-ranked high school player in the 2017 ESPN Top-100, has left Bosnia after playing only three Adriatic League games for Igokea, his mother Nicole Player confirmed to ESPN.
A McDonald's All-American and the most highly touted member of Kansas' recruiting class, Preston never played a game for Kansas because of NCAA eligibility concerns that caused the school to withhold him from action. He signed in Europe in late January after waiting for more than two months for a NCAA ruling, with no clear end in sight.
Preston played just 47 minutes in the Adriatic League in his three games of action, scoring 21 points on 21 field goal attempts with 12 rebounds in total. He is currently ranked 76th in the latest ESPN Top-100 rankings for the 2018 NBA draft.
Preston decided to leave Bosnia after experiencing shoulder pain, and is "not likely" to return to Europe at this stage, according to his mother.
"We went to a doctor there, but we didn't get much of a diagnosis or plans for treatment ... so I asked some folks for advice and they said he needs to be seen in the U.S. So here we are. Praying it's nothing serious. If not, he will just continue to work out and prepare for the draft process. They only have two more games left in ABA league and four in the Bosnian League. I don't see the point [in returning], but who knows."
Igokea released a statement on their website: "Our player Billy Preston has been experiencing consistent discomfort in his left shoulder for the past 2 weeks. He is going to return to the U.S. to consult with a Physician and Physical Therapist. We have such a short season left we don't want to put him in jeopardy so we support what is best for him to get the best treatment as soon as possible".
Preston's options at this stage are limited, as he is ineligible to play in the G League and will likely have to hope for an invite to the NBA combine in May to try and resurrect his draft stock.
