Iowa State’s leading scorers from the 2005-06 season, first-team all-Big 12 guard Curtis Stinson and third-team all-Big 12 guard Will Blalock, announced they will forgo their senior years at Iowa State and have declared themselves eligible to be selected in the NBA draft in June.

Blalock and Stinson were two of Iowa State’s leaders, helping the Cyclones out of dark times following the departure of Larry Eustachy in 2003 and taking the team to an NIT Final Four and an NCAA second-round appearance last season.

“I want to thank Coach [Wayne] Morgan, my teammates and the fans for everything they have done for me,” Stinson said. “My family is extremely important to me and I want to make sure that my mom is taken care of. It has been a great ride and I will never forget everybody who has helped me out.

“Coach Morgan gave me this opportunity. I was not recruited very heavily out of high school. He was always there for me and was loyal to me. I can’t thank him enough for that.”

Stinson, a Bronx, N.Y., native, earned all-Big 12 honors for the third consecutive season this year and averaged 19.4 points, 5.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game, good for a top-35 ranking in each category nationally.

Stinson ranks 11th on Iowa State’s career scoring chart with 1,651 points, fourth on the career steal chart with 200 and sixth on the career assist chart with 448.

Blalock earned third-team all-Big 12 honors this past season after ranking second in the Big 12 and 12th nationally in assists with 6.1 per game. Blalock ranks fifth on Iowa State’s career assist chart with 464 and is tied for sixth in career steals with 177. He said it is time for a new challenge.

“I want to thank the fans, the students at Iowa State and everybody who has stood by me for these three years,” Blalock said. “I also want to thank Coach Morgan for all his help and assistance. I feel like I have played against some of the best players in the nation while competing in the Big 12 and I am ready to test my game at the next level.”

Morgan also thanked the players for their contributions to the ISU men’s basketball program and wished them success at the next level.

“It is immeasurable what these two young men have done for this program and to me personally,” Morgan said. “Any success we have had as a team or I have had as a head coach at Iowa State, they are directly responsible for.”