Cody Zeller has finally completed his degree.
The former IU All-American center, who left the school and declared for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season, announced the news via Twitter Wednesday afternoon.
A native of Washington, Indiana, Zeller was named an All-American by the United States Basketball Writers' Association, Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and John R. Wooden Award after averaging a team-high 16.5 points and 8.1 rebounds during his sophomore campaign.
Following that season, he forfeited his final two years of NCAA eligibility and turned pro with the Charlotte Hornets selecting him fourth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.
According to his IU athletics bio, Zeller was majoring in business while enrolled at Indiana.
He was able to complete his degree despite leaving school early because of IU's "Student Athlete Bill of Rights" introduced by athletics director Fred Glass in 2014, which included lifetime degree guarantee "for a full or equivalency scholarship student-athlete who leaves school early to tend to a family emergency, pursue a professional athletics career, or for any other reason."
Former student-athletes are able to participate in the program so long as they remained eligible for at least two seasons at IU; maintained academic eligiblity and were in good standing under university, department and team rules; did not transfer from IU and "are readmitted to IU consistent with currently applicable degree requirements and other institutional admissions policies and procedures," according to the Bill of Rights.
Zeller signed a four-year, $56-million contract extension with the Hornets last October. Six months later, he'll have a degree to help him find opportunities whenever his pro career ends.
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