Florida Gators freshman guard and St. Louis native Bradley Beal officially announced on Friday that he will enter the 2012 NBA Draft, and while it is an exciting time for everyone in his home city, the St. Louis Billikens took a hit with the news. As noted by Keith Robinson of KSDK News in St. Louis, the Billikens had worked out a home tilt against Florida as a sort of homecoming game for Beal, but now he won't be around and the game could be in jeopardy.

Brad Beal going to the NBA is bad news for SLU ... Billikens had it worked out for Brad and the Gators to play in STL next season

— Keith Robinson (@Keith_Rob) April 13, 2012

Even so, it is an exciting day for Beal and all the same people who would have otherwise been at that game to cheer him on, so now it's all about the NBA dream. Beal is certainly excited (via USA Today):

"It's my dream and it's sitting right here in front of me,'' Beal said. "God has put me in this situation and I have to take advantage of it. I think I'm ready to realize this dream, so now I have to go and pursue it.''

SB Nation's Mike Prada think Beal is a great NBA prospect that prepared himself well for the jump to the pros and that he will learn valuable lessons from his failures in the Elite Eight.

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