Columbia, Mo. ? Kareem Rush said Wednesday he will skip his senior season at Missouri and enter the NBA draft.

At a news conference with coach Quin Snyder at his side, Rush didn’t completely rule out a last-minute decision to stay at Missouri. But he made it clear that’s not something he plans to do.

“I’m going to go after this 100 percent,” Rush said. “I look forward to giving this my all and playing in the league next year.”

Rush hasn’t hired an agent, a move that would have prohibited his return under NCAA rules. Rush has until a week before the June 26 draft to change his mind. He backed away from earlier statements in which he said he would enter the draft only if projections indicated he would be a lottery pick that is, one of the first 13 players selected.

“I plan on being one (a lottery pick),” Rush said. “I’m going to go out there and prove I should be one.”

The 6-foot-6 Rush is a two-time All-Big 12 pick who averaged 19.8 points this season in helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament’s West Regional final, where Missouri lost to Oklahoma, 81-75.

In 84 career games at Missouri, Rush averaged 18.9 points, second only to Derrick Chievous’ 19.9 average from 1985-1988.