Marcus Smart took on critics who have questioned why he didn’t declare for the NBA draft.

Smart was projected as a top-five pick.

“First thing this morning I hear Skip Bayless say I had to go,” Smart said during a news conference announcing his draft intentions. “In my mind I'm like, ‘No disrespect, but why?' He says it's because the draft class is weaker this year than next year. Well, that's telling me, from a competitor standpoint, you have no respect for my game and my ability to compete with those guys.

“You tell a competitor that, it just fuels his energy to go out there and prove him wrong. It got me fired up. I wanted to go out there and start working out right then. And it definitely fueled my energy to come back here and start preparing for next year and getting better.”

The 2014 draft class is expected to be rich with talent, led by Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.

Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart will return to school for his sophomore season, according to a source.

Smart was projected to be a lottery pick.

He will officially announce his decision Wednesday in a news conference at the school.

Marcus Smart is still pondering whether to enter the NBA draft or return for his sophomore season at Oklahoma State.

Smart took to Twitter to refute rumors that a decision has been reached.

Smart and his family were scheduled to meet with Cowboys coach Travis Ford at some time on Friday, likely discussing the pros and cons of both sides.

Marcus Smart hasn’t decided whether to enter the NBA draft.

Smart was held to 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting in Oklahoma State's first round loss to Oregon.

“I don't know,” Smart said on multiple occasions, brushing off any talk of his draft plans. “I have no idea. We just came off this loss. I'm going to get back home and go from there.”

Travis Ford said the probability was “50/50 at this point.”

“It wouldn't surprise me one bit if Marcus wanted to come back,” Ford said. “Or if he left, it wouldn't surprise me.”

Ford praised Smart’s focused sense of preparation.

“His intent on winning is the best I've ever seen,” Ford said. “This season he's had a great impact. We had a total team effort, but no question, we had the best freshman in America on our team. The force he played with. He brings it every day in practice.”

Marcus Smart has been named the Big 12 Player of the Year, becoming the first freshman to win the award since Michael Beasley in 2008 and Kevin Durant in 2007. Smart also was named Freshman of the Year.

Smart is joined on the All-Big 12 First Team by Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey of Kansas, Rodney McGruder of Kansas State and Romero Osby of Oklahoma.

On the All-Big 12 Second Team are Travis Releford of Kansas, Angel Rodriguez of Kansas State, Markel Brown of Oklahoma State, Will Clyburn of Iowa State and Pierre Jackson of Baylor.

On the All-Big 12 Third Team are Isaiah Austin of Baylor, Oklahoma's Amath M'Baye and Steven Pledger, LeBron Nash of Oklahoma State and Iowa State's Melvin Ejim.

Withey was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

The thirty candidates for Naismith Men's College Player of the Year were announced on Tuesday.

Anthony Bennett, UNLV
Jared Berggren, Wisconsin
Trey Burke, Michigan 
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
Ian Clark, Belmont
Rotnei Clarke, Butler
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame
Allen Crabbe, California
Seth Curry, Duke
Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
Shane Larkin, Miami
Doug McDermott, Creigton
Rodney McGruder, Kansas State
Ben McLemore, Kansas
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
Mike Muscala, Bucknell
Victor Oladipo, Indiana
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga
Brandon Paul, Illinois
Mason Plumlee, Duke
Otto Porter, Georgetown
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Russ Smith, Louisville
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State
Jeff Withey, Kansas
Nate Wolters, South Dakota State
Cody Zeller, Indiana 

Stephen Clark signed a national letter of intent to play college basketball at Oklahoma State.

“I've been waiting on this day for the longest,” Clark said Friday afternoon. “Me and my mom have been stressing through the whole process. We slowed everything down and narrowed it down to figure out where I'm going to school.

“This will make it a lot easier to focus on making myself a better basketball player and buckling down in the classroom to make sure I finish the year with all A's.”

Clark, a 5-foot-11 point guard who is considered a top-70 player in the class of 2013, chose the Cowboys over Baylor and UCLA.

Le'Bryan Nash wants to lead the NCAA in free throw attempts after proving through five games he can get to the rim and draw fouls.

Nash is averaging 9.6 foul shots per game, which ranks fourth nationally.

“I'm trying to lead the NCAA in free-throw attempts,” Nash said. “I'm just taking what the defense gives me. And I'm playing with my teammates. My teammates give me the ball in good situations, and when you have a scoring mentality, then defenses can't stop you. All they can do is foul you.”

Nash is connecting on 85.4 percent of his free throw attempts, a 12.4 percent improvement over his freshman season.

“I'm glad to hear him say that, about leading the country in free throws, because it's something he and I have talked a lot about,” Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. “He should be shooting 10 or 11 free throws a game. And he can make eight or nine of those. That tells me, if he's getting to the foul line, not only is he getting points, it tells me his mind is right. Because he's playing to his strengths.”

Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti traveled to Stillwater on Thursday to watch the Oklahoma State Cowboys practice.

Presumably, Presti was there to scout Marcus Smart and Le’Bryan Nash.

Smart, a 6-foot-3 point guard, is averaging 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.4 blocks through his first five games, bringing immediate leadership and a defensive mentality that’s rubbed off on those around him.

The 6-foot-7 Nash is a talented wing scorer who excels at getting to the rim and finishing in a variety of ways.

Stephen Clark will announce his college decision at 2 p.m. on Nov. 30, according to a report.

Clark, a 5-foot-10 guard, reportedly favors Baylor and Oklahoma State, with UCLA and Missouri also in the mix.