UConn center Emeka Okafor will hold a press conference Friday at Gampel Pavilion to announce that he will forgo his final season of eligibility and make himself available for the NBA draft.

Okafor, a junior, will graduate in May, a year ahead of schedule, with a degree in finance.

Okafor is potentially the No.1 pick in the NBA draft June 26. UConn has never had a player selected with the first pick and has never had two players picked in the first round.

Dwight Howard, a 6-foot-10 high school player from Atlanta who declared himself eligible for the draft Wednesday, also could be taken with the No. 1 pick, depending on which team has it.