Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. “fully committed” to NBA draft, has hired agent

Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. is “fully committed” to the NBA Draft and has hired an agent with WME agency, he told reporters on Friday, a day after declaring.

“Talking to everybody, I knew that the NBA was the route,” Cenac said. “I talked to coach Kelvin Sampson before coming, and one-and-done was always the goal.”

By hiring an agent, Cenac is forfeiting his remaining three years of collegiate eligibility.

“My advice to all our players is if you’ve got an opportunity to go and you’re going to get guaranteed money in this slot, then go,” Sampson said, whom Cenac credits for his growth on and off the court.

“To Coach Sampson and the entire Houston coaching staff, thank you for not making it easy,” Cenac wrote in a social media post. “Thank you for holding me to a standard that forced me to grow into someone I’m proud of. You didn’t just coach basketball. You led by example and coached men.”

Cenac emerged as Houston’s leading rebounder, averaging 7.9 boards per game and recording 14 double-digit rebound performances.

The 6-foot-11 New Orleans native posted a career-high 18 rebounds against Idaho on March 19 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Cenac is projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick in the June 2026 NBA Draft. Fellow freshman guard Kingston Flemings, also a projected first-rounder, is expected to declare in the coming days.

If both are selected, it would mark the first time since 2023 that two Cougars were taken in the first round, when Jarace Walker and Marcus Sasser were drafted eighth and 25th overall.