Terrence Ross, Washington's leading scorer, decided to take his game to the NBA. / Drew Sellers, Sportspress Northwest

This is no April Fool’s joke: Terrence Ross, the leading scorer (16.4 ppg) for the University of Washington basketball team this past season, will depart the Huskies and make himself available for the 2012 NBA draft. The 6-foot-5 Ross, a sophomore and a native of Portland, is expected to be selected in the middle of the first round.

Washington has one other first-round candidate, freshman guard Tony Wroten, who  hasn’t indicated what his immediate future holds.

Ross, who led the Huskies with 21 points in their season-ending loss to Minnesota in the National Invitation Tournament last week, made first-team All-Pac-12, as did Wroten.

Ross averaged a UW-leading 23.6 points per game during the Huskies’ three NIT games. In addition to finishing fourth in the Pac-12 in scoring, he finished sixth in rebounding, one of just two conference players to finish in the top 10 in both categories. He also ranked among the Pac-12′s best in steals and 3-pointers made.

Ross, the Pac-12 Player of the Week Jan. 16, scored 20 or more points in a game eight times, with a high of 32 in Washington’s NIT victory over Northwestern.

“We wish Terrence the best,” Husky coach Lorenzo Romar said from New Orleans, where he is taking part in the annual coaches’ events at the Final Four. “He was refreshing to coach because of his humility and team-first attitude. We wish him well and anticipate that he will have an excellent NBA career.”