WINSTON-SALEM – The rebuilding for Wake Forest basketball next season officially went from remodeling project to more along the lines of extreme makeover Thursday.

School officials said that 6-foot-9 sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu, who led the ACC in rebounding last season, is putting his name in the hopper for the NBA draft and has hired an agent, assuring that he will not return next season.

“This was a difficult decision,” Aminu said in a statement. “But after talking it over with my family and my coaches, I believe now is the right time for me to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA. I want to thank Wake Forest and the basketball program for all they have done for me the past two years.”

Aminu averaged 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game last season, good enough for second team All-ACC honors. In 62 games in which he saw action for the Deacons, he started 60 and averaged 14.4 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Wake went to the NCAA tournament in both of Aminu’s seasons, losing to Cleveland State in the first round last year and to Kentucky in the second round this season.

Mock projections place Aminu as high as the fourth pick in the first round of the NBA draft, scheduled June 24 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“After several discussions with Al-Farouq and extensive research with NBA executives, we feel that it is in his best interest to pursue an NBA career,” Wake coach Dino Gaudio said in a statement. “We also believe that it is important for him to return in the future and complete his coursework to earn his college degree. I want to wish Al-Farouq all the best.”

The departure of Aminu along with seniors Ish Smith, Chas McFarland, L.D. Williams and David Weaver leaves Gaudio with the task of replacing five players and a good chunk of the Deacons’ offense. Aminu, Smith, McFarland and Williams were four of the teams’ five starters for most of the season and were four of the top six scorers.

The only player left who started on a consistent basis is C.J. Harris, a 6-0 guard. Other returners are wing Ari Stewart, centers Tony Woods and Ty Walker, and guard Gary Clark. Harris was the Deacons’ third-best scorer at 9.9, with Stewart, who will also be a sophomore, ranking fifth at 7.2.

The lack of proven returning talent appears to leave Gaudio relying on a freshman class that includes 6-11 center Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence, Mass.; 6-6 power forward Travis McKie of Richmond, Va., 6-3 shooting guard J.T. Terrell of West Charlotte High; 6-8 power forward Melvin Tabb of Raleigh Enloe; and 6-1 point guard Tony Chennault of Philadelphia.

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