Mississippi State guard Dee Bost suspended 9 games

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State point guard Dee Bost has been suspended nine games by the NCAA for mishandling his withdrawal from the NBA draft.

The 6-foot-2 junior is academically ineligible for the fall semester. He will begin serving his suspension in December if he is academically cleared for the spring.

Bost has started all 72 games at Mississippi State. He averaged 13 points a game last season.

In a statement released by the university, Bost thanked the NCAA for a second chance. He says he wanted only to "test the waters" and then return to Mississippi State.

The deadline for withdrawing from the draft was in May. Bost says he made a mistake in how he dealt with the situation.