The decision as to whether to stay in college or move on to the NBA has never been harder. Most players projected to be drafted in the late first round or second round stand to make more money in NIL than they would in the NBA next year. Rookie contracts are predetermined, based on the spot where the player is drafted; the higher the pick, the greater the salary.
Due to college basketball’s new landscape, there was the lowest number of early entry candidates for the NBA Draft (106) in a decade and several prominent prospects chose to withdraw their names from the draft pool ahead of the May 28 deadline.
Over the past few days, the outlook for several of the nation’s top schools has changed dramatically, as players previously thought to be turning pro have opted to remain in college. Below are some of the biggest stars who dropped out of the draft, plus a breakdown of what their decisions means for their respective teams.
Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Michigan
Lendeborg, a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year, landed at No. 1 on Hoops HQ’s ranking of the top transfers. The do-it-all forward averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals last season for UAB. His decision to withdraw from the Draft came as somewhat of a surprise, considering he was widely projected to be a first round pick (he was slotted at No. 28 in Hoops HQ’s latest mock).
Lendeborg’s NIL package from the Wolverines is believed to be in the neighborhood of $3 million. With him in the mix as the centerpiece of arguably the most talented transfer class in the country, Michigan should be a preseason top 15 team and among the favorites to finish atop the Big Ten.
Tahaad Pettiford, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, Auburn
Despite shining at the Combine, Pettiford was not a sure thing to be picked in the first round and thus made the late call to return to the Tigers for his sophomore campaign. The highly-skilled, lightning-quick guard was one of the nation’s best freshmen in 2024-25, averaging 11.6 points and 3.0 assists in just 22.9 minutes off the bench. He shot 36.6 percent from behind the arc and led Auburn in scoring on five occasions.
Stepping into coach Bruce Pearl’s starting lineup, Pettiford is an All-SEC candidate next season. He is the only notable returnee from last year’s Final Four team, but given his ceiling and the program’s impressive haul in the portal, Auburn should be considered a real threat to repeat as conference champion.
Milos Uzan, 6-foot-4 senior guard, Houston
Uzan’s return to Houston positions the program as the preseason national title favorite. The Cougars will now have three starters back from last year’s Final Four team (Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler), as well as the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, per 247Sports.
A reliable floor general with great positional size, Uzan exceeded expectations in his first season under coach Kelvin Sampson. The 22-year-old earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors, averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds, while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and a career-high 42.8 percent from three. Based on his track record and Houston’s potential to run the Big 12, Uzan should be a preseason All-American.
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Boogie Fland, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, Florida
An All-SEC caliber talent, Fland withdrew his name from the Draft during the Combine and transferred from Arkansas to the reigning champions. A gifted guard capable of creating his own shot and orchestrating the offense, Fland is exactly the type of player the Gators needed to help replace former perimeter standouts Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard — the three leading scorers from last season. Before suffering a right hand injury in mid-January, Fland averaged 15.1 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds for the Razorbacks. He is a perfect fit in Todd Golden’s fast-paced, analytics-driven system and makes Florida a clear contender to cut down the nets again.
Alex Condon, 6-foot-11 junior forward, Florida
With Condon, a projected second-round pick, opting to withdraw from the draft, Florida will have its entire front line back. The Australian big man played an integral role in the program’s championship season, averaging 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks. Two keys to Florida’s success were controlling the glass and protecting the rim. Condon was — and should remain — at the center of both. His dynamic skillset was also a major reason the team ranked second in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. Overall, Condon’s return allows the Gators to maintain their identity and significantly raises their chances of winning back-to-back national titles.
PJ Haggerty, 6-foot-3 junior guard, Kansas State
Haggerty had an impressive showing at the Combine, averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in two scrimmage games. But with no indication that he was going to be picked in the first round, it made sense for him to return to college, where he will reportedly earn around $2.5 million in NIL at Kansas State.
The reigning AAC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, Haggerty starred at Memphis last season, averaging 21.7 points (third in the nation), 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals. One of the portal’s biggest prizes, he helps solve the main issue that plagued the 2024-25 Wildcats: a lack of offensive firepower. Haggerty has the ability to guide Kansas State back to the NCAA Tournament after the program has failed to make it in consecutive years.
Darrion Williams, 6-foot-6 senior forward, NC State
At his introductory press conference in mid-March, new NC State coach Will Wade assured the media that his team would be back in the NCAA Tournament next season. The signing of former Texas Tech star Williams, who dropped out of the Draft on May 21 and committed to the Wolfpack two days later, makes Wade’s bold proclamation moremore likely.
An All Big-12 First Team selection, Williams averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals for the Red Raiders and was instrumental in their run to the Elite Eight. Given NC State’s other additions, including Michigan State transfer Tre Holloman and Houston transfer Terrance Arceneaux, the program has a good chance to be ranked in the preseason top 25.
Labaron Philon, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Alabama
After declaring he was all- in on the Draft, Philon, who was not included in Hoops HQ’s latest first-round mock, changed his mind right before the deadline. He will now head back to Alabama, which provides the program a major boost, especially considering it no longer has All-American Mark Sears to carry its offense.
Philon is poised to make a significant leap in his second year playing under Nate Oats. The two-way wing averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals last season, making 29 starts. Alabama is a preseason top 25 team with Philon returning and should be in contention for an SEC title for a third straight season.
Otega Oweh, 6-foot-4 senior guard, Kentucky
Kentucky’s leading scorer from the 2024-25 campaign is returning to Lexington for his final year of eligibility. Oweh, who made the All-SEC Second Team, averaged career highs across the board in his first season playing for Mark Pope: 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals. The athletic wing will be the top returnee on a new-look Kentucky team that features the nation’s No. 5 transfer class and No. 11 recruiting class, per 247Sports. A majority of the roster will need time to adjust to Pope’s system, but Oweh should shine from day one. His return solidifies Kentucky as a Final Four contender.
Isaiah Evans, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard, Duke
Duke was dealt a considerable blow when Washington State transfer Cedric Coward decided to stay in the Draft. But fortunately, the sharpshooting Evans will be back in Durham, where he is expected to take on a much bigger role as a sophomore. Last season, the 19-year-old averaged 6.8 points and shot 41.6 percent from behind the arc in just 13.7 minutes off the bench. He buried at least two three-pointers in 17 of 36 outings. His scoring will be pivotal for the Blue Devils after they lost their Coward and their entire starting lineup — plus Coward — to the NBA. With a bulk of their reserves back and another stellar recruiting class, Duke should be a preseason top 10 team.
Miles Byrd, 6-foot-7 junior guard, San Diego State
An intriguing two-way prospect who was projected to be picked in the second round, Byrd will instead return to San Diego State and aim to raise his draft stock. In his first season starting for coach Brian Dutcher, Byrd averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals (second in the Mountain West). An MWC All-Defense selection, Byrd was a key component of an Aztecs defense that ranked 16th in the country, per KenPom. He helped lead the program to a 21-10 record and another NCAA Tournament appearance. Assuming Byrd continues to make strides, San Diego State should be considered the favorite to win the Mountain West.
Mackenzie Mgbako, 6-foot-9 junior forward, Texas A&M
Mgbako made quite an impression during the Draft process. First, he led the G League Elite Camp in scoring, earning himself an invite to the more prestigious Combine. He stayed hot there, posting 31 points in 43 minutes of scrimmage action. Still, Mgbako was not expected to be picked in the first round, so he will return to college for his junior season and suit up for Texas A&M.
Under new coach Bucky McMillan, the Aggies have rebuilt their roster from scratch. Mgbako could be the program’s X-factor as it looks to remain a force in the SEC. He has the potential to really thrive in McMillan’s uptempo, three-point heavy system. A former top-10 high school recruit, Mgbako spent his first two seasons at Indiana and averaged 12.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Karter Knox, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, Arkansas
Already loaded with talent before Knox opted to return, Arkansas should be considered a top- 15 team heading into the 2025-26 campaign. The roster has a strong returning core — Knox, D.J. Wagner, Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond III — and one of the best freshman classes in the country, headlined by five-star prospects Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas.
Knox, a former McDonald’s All-American, stepped into a larger role midway through last season and took full advantage. Over the final 18 games, the dynamic forward averaged 10.4 points and 3.8 rebounds, while shooting 52.3 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from deep and 90.3 percent from the line. He scored 20 points and buried all four of his three-point attempts in Arkansas’ overtime loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16.
Bruce Thornton, 6-foot-2 senior guard, Ohio State
The leader of the Buckeyes, who has started every game he has played in since arriving on campus in 2022, is coming back for one final run. Thornton should be on All-American watch next season, following a year in which he averaged 17.7 points, 4.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds, while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from deep. Ohio State is returning three of its top four scorers — Thornton, Devin Royal and John Mobley Jr. — and should be a preseason top 25 team. Thornton has yet to play in the NCAA Tournament, but that should change in 2026.
