Connect with us

NIL

NBA Draft withdrawals: Florida is the big winner, while Duke is on the losing end

Condolences to any NBA franchise hoping to unearth an overlooked gem late in next month’s NBA Draft. This year’s second round appears to be historically barren as a result of the skyrocketing NIL market across college basketball. Advertisement In the pre-NIL era, college basketball’s top underclassmen routinely entered the NBA Draft even if they were […]

Published

4 weeks ago

on


Condolences to any NBA franchise hoping to unearth an overlooked gem late in next month’s NBA Draft.

This year’s second round appears to be historically barren as a result of the skyrocketing NIL market across college basketball.

Advertisement

In the pre-NIL era, college basketball’s top underclassmen routinely entered the NBA Draft even if they were projected to slip to the second round or go unselected. They earned more money chasing an NBA two-way contract or an overseas payday than they could returning to a college model where the only payouts came under the table.

The calculus began to change in 2021 when a series of court rulings forced the NCAA to allow athletes to benefit financially from their name, image, and likeness without fear of penalty. Now underclassmen who are fringe NBA prospects are returning to college in record numbers because they can earn as much as $3 to $4 million per year playing for deep-pocketed college programs.

Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, Florida’s Thomas Haugh, UConn’s Alex Karaban, Duke’s Isaiah Evans and Purdue’s Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn were among the prominent college stars who did not even test the waters this spring. Only 106 players , the league announced last month. That’s the lowest number of early entrants since 2015, down from

Advertisement

Many of those 106 early-entry candidates did not remain in the NBA draft — even some who had a chance to be selected as high as in the 20-45 range. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg pulled out on the eve of Wednesday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline. and . Days earlier, Boogie Fland and Darrion Williams did the same.

Others truly took their decisions down to the wire. On Wednesday afternoon, promising Auburn point guard Tahaad Pettiford revealed he’d return to school, as did Kentucky’s Otega Oweh and San Diego State’s Miles Byrd. Arkansas’ Adou Thiero, reigning Big East player of the year RJ Luis and ex-Florida State star Jamir Watkins chose to stay in the draft.

The flood of returning talent to college basketball reflects how much money top-tier programs are willing to spend to try to build the best possible rosters. The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman that as many as 15 teams will have $10 million rosters next season. Those in the NIL space who have spoken to Yahoo Sports say that it will take up to $6-8 million just to be competitive in a power conference.

For as long as that kind of money remains available, the sport of college basketball will always be a big winner at the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline. Fringe NBA prospects are staying in college longer than they have in at least a decade or two, maybe longer.

Advertisement

Which stay-or-go decisions were the most impactful this season? Below is a long list of college programs who got stronger and a few programs who lost key players they may struggle to replace.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 07: Alex Condon #21 and Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators during the second half in the National Championship of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Houston Cougars at the Alamodome on April 07, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Defending national champion Florida gets a huge boost with both Alex Condon (21) and Rueben Chinyelu choosing to return to Gainesville next season. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

(Jamie Squire via Getty Images)

WINNERS

1. FLORIDA

Don’t count out Florida as a potential repeat national champion. The Gators project as no worse than a preseason top-five team next fall thanks to a wildly successful offseason so far.

It starts in the frontcourt where Florida returns all four players who were part of the rotation during last season’s NCAA tournament. In late April, versatile forward Thomas Haugh opted to bypass the NBA Draft and return to school. He’ll see more playing time at small forward next season with frontcourt stalwarts Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu withdrawing from the draft over the past week and reserve center Micah Handlogten also coming back.

Advertisement

All four of last season’s top perimeter players are moving on, but Florida went on a shopping spree via the transfer portal to help replace some of that lost firepower. Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee averaged 16.9 points and 5.5 assists last season. Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland is a former five-star recruit who might have gone in the second round of this year’s NBA Draft had he not pulled his name out last week.

2. HOUSTON

Houston received unexpected good news on Tuesday when point guard Milos Uzan announced that he was withdrawing from the NBA Draft and returning for his senior year. The potential preseason No. 1 Cougars had been bracing for Uzan’s departure, adding talented freshman Kingston Flemings and proven veteran Pop Isaacs via the transfer portal.

While Isaacs ultimately chose to transfer to Texas A&M once Uzan decided to return, that’s a tradeoff Houston should welcome. Uzan averaged 11.4 points and 4.3 assists in his first year in Kelvin Sampson’s system, helping lead the Cougars within two points of a national title. He should be even better next season, surrounded by returning standouts Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler, as well as one of the nation’s best freshman classes.

Advertisement

“One of the reasons why Baylor was so good the year they won the national championship, they had a lot of transfers who stayed and came back their second year,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said Tuesday. “The second year is an opportunity to take a big step because June, July and August will be different for a guy in his second year versus a guy in his first year.”

UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) brings the ball down court during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Memphis in the championship of the American Athletic Conference tournament, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Michigan is celebrating landing Yaxel Lendeborg in the transfer portal from UAB. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

3. MICHIGAN

The most coveted player in Michigan’s transfer portal haul is officially on his way to Ann Arbor. Yaxel Lendeborg, the former UAB star forward who led the Blazers in every major statistical category last season, withdrew from the NBA Draft on Monday after previously announcing he would join the Wolverines if he opted to return to college.

Advertisement

Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocks at UAB last season and is viewed as a potential replacement for NBA-bound Danny Wolf. The hope for Lendeborg is that the 6-foot-9 forward can play alongside transfer big men Aday Mara and Morez Johnson much like Wolf and 7-footer Vlad Goldin did last season.

Had Lendeborg received a first-round guarantee from an NBA team, he might have opted to stay in this year’s draft. He instead returns to college as the centerpiece of a Michigan team that has Final Four potential if it can overcome concerns about inadequate outside shooting.

4. AUBURN

Auburn will return one of the standouts from last season’s juggernaut team that won the SEC regular-season title and advanced to the Final Four. The Tigers are bringing back point guard Tahaad Pettiford, who averaged 11.6 points per game last season as the program’s sixth man.

Advertisement

While concerns about Pettiford’s size and ability to hold up defensively prevented him from securing a first-round guarantee this draft cycle, he has a chance to establish himself as a 2026 first-round selection. The 6-foot sophomore will be the centerpiece of a reloaded Auburn team brimming with elite transfers and incoming freshmen.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl was certainly happy to have Pettiford and Serbian big man Filip Jovic back in the fold.

5. TEXAS A&M

The biggest beneficiary of Uzan’s return to Houston might not have been the Cougars. Uzan’s decision paved the way for Texas A&M to scoop up a combo guard who has shown the ability to score in bunches.

Advertisement

On the same day Uzan announced his intent to return to Houston, Pop Isaacs backed out of his previous commitment to the Cougars and transferred instead to Texas A&M. Isaacs will have the ball in his hands at Texas A&M, whereas he would have played off-ball alongside Uzan had he stuck with Houston.

“Texas A&M needed a point guard,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said Tuesday. “Pop’s a very, very talented kid. I was looking forward to working with him but with Milos coming back changed some things. I think it worked out for everybody, which, to me, is the perfect scenario.”

Isaacs averaged 15 points per game two seasons ago as a sophomore at Texas Tech. He was on his way to an even bigger season at Creighton last year, scoring 27 against Kansas, 25 against Texas A&M and 18 against San Diego State before a hip injury ended his season after just eight games.

6. KENTUCKY

Otega Oweh came through for Kentucky at the buzzer on Wednesday as he did so many times during his debut season in Lexington. The 6-4 all-SEC guard took himself out of the NBA Draft hours before Wednesday’s midnight deadline for prospects to withdraw.

Advertisement

In many ways, Oweh was the quintessential example of a player with incentive to return to college in the NIL era. Despite a strong showing at the combine, he would have been lucky to be selected had he remained in the draft, yet he provides invaluable scoring punch to a Kentucky team that needs his star power.

Last season, Oweh averaged a team-best 16.2 points per game while adding 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals. He scored more than 20 points eight times in February and March, including a pair of game winners against his former team Oklahoma. Next season, he’ll anchor a transfer-laden Kentucky team that has a chance to contend in the SEC and crack the preseason top 10.

7. SAN DIEGO STATE

San Diego State already appeared to be the class of the Mountain West next season. Now the Aztecs will be an even bigger favorite to return to the NCAA tournament and perhaps do some damage there.

Advertisement

Hours before Wednesday night’s draft withdrawal deadline, Miles Byrd announced he is coming back to San Diego State. “Back to work,” Byrd, a redshirt junior and projected second-round pick, posted to Instagram.

Byrd’s return means San Diego State will bring back six key rotation pieces from last year’s NCAA tournament team, including 7-foot NBA prospect and Mountain West newcomer of the year Magoon Gwath. Also part of the fold is 2024-25 preseason all-conference guard Reese Waters, who missed the entire season with a foot injury.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 21: Drake Powell #9 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Ole Miss Rebels during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Fiserv Forum on March 21, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Drake Powell will not return to North Carolina next season. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

(Patrick McDermott via Getty Images)

LOSERS

1. NORTH CAROLINA

Drake Powell was arguably the most important potential returner for North Carolina. The bouncy 6-foot-6 guard averaged a modest 7.4 points and 3.4 rebounds as a freshman, but he boasted the talent to blossom into a lethal perimeter scorer and lockdown defender as a sophomore.

Advertisement

It was bad enough for North Carolina that Powell told ESPN at the NBA Draft Combine that the “door’s closed” on a return to Chapel Hill. Powell elevated himself into a potential late first-round pick by measuring prototypical wing size, 6-foot-5 barefoot with a 7-foot wingspan and a 37-inch standing vertical jump.

What was worse was the perhaps unintentional parting shot he took at North Carolina on the way out the door. When asked why he was ready to jump to the NBA, , “I feel like I’m the same two-way player that was coming into college. Obviously I don’t think I got to showcase that at UNC, but the potential is still there.”

Those comments won’t help Hubert Davis recruit future NBA prospects, especially since Powell is not the only decorated recruit who didn’t reach his potential with the Tar Heels. Ian Jackson transferred to St. John’s this spring after his stock sank during his lone season in Chapel Hill. Elliot Cadeau transferred to Michigan last month after spending two underwhelming seasons with North Carolina.

2. SCHOOLS STILL SEEKING AN IMPACT TRANSFER

Schools hoping to make a late splash in the transfer portal are running out of options. Two of the best remaining transfers came off the board on Wednesday when RJ Luis and Jamir Watkins both announced they intended to remain in the NBA draft.

Advertisement

Luis, the reigning Big East player of the year, averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, leading St. John’s to a sweep of the Big East regular-season and tournament titles. Watkins, a 6-foot-7 forward, earned second-team All-ACC honors this past season at Florida State after averaging 18.4 points and 5.7 rebounds.

North Carolina, Kansas, Ole Miss, Villanova and Georgetown were among the teams pursuing Luis, It’s unclear which programs were targeting Watkins, but Pittsburgh reportedly was among those who initially reached out.

3. DUKE

Duke coach Jon Scheyer made a slight miscalculation this spring when identifying potential targets in the transfer portal: He zeroed in on a prospect who was too good.

Advertisement

Cedric Coward began his career at Division III Willamette, spent two seasons at Eastern Washington and then followed David Riley to Washington State. The long-armed, explosive 6-foot-6 wing was averaging 17.7 points and shooting 40% from behind the arc for the Cougars before a shoulder injury halted his season after just six games.

There appeared to be a real chance Coward might play alongside the Boozer twins at Duke when he committed to the Blue Devils earlier this spring while also keeping his name in the NBA Draft. Then Coward measured a condor-like 7-foot-2-inch wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine, unleashed a 38.5-inch max vertical leap and ranked as one of the most consistent shooters in drills.

The question after that was no longer whether Coward would be a first-round pick. It became how high in the first round could he rise?

As so often is the case for Duke, reinforcements are on the way. Scheyer responded by nabbing Dame Sarr, a heralded 6-foot-8 wing from Italy, and by persuading five-star forward Sebastian Wilkins to not only pick the Blue Devils but also reclassify from Class of 2026 to 2025.



Link

6
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NIL

James Madison University – Official Athletics Site

NOTE: This is the third in a series of communications regarding JMU’s plans to successfully evolve in the new environment of college athletics. Part one immediately after the House Settlement was finalized was posted on June 10 and part two on its impact at JMU was published on June 17.   Among the many changes to college […]

Published

3 minutes ago

on

June 24, 2025

By


NOTE: This is the third in a series of communications regarding JMU’s plans to successfully evolve in the new environment of college athletics. Part one immediately after the House Settlement was finalized was posted on June 10 and part two on its impact at JMU was published on June 17.
 
Among the many changes to college athletics in the evolving landscape with the settlement of the NCAA vs. House case, institutions can now provide direct financial benefits to student-athletes as part of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) activities. Previously NIL opportunities were only available through third-party arrangements.
 
In order to enhance the value of athletics participation at the university, James Madison Athletics and the Duke Club are proud to announce the launch of the Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund, a groundbreaking initiative that empowers fans, alumni and donors to elevate the value of JMU student-athlete participation through NIL opportunities.
 
The fund positions JMU to provide direct financial benefits to student-athletes with a focus on recruiting and retaining elite talent who maximize their opportunities at the university. The Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund is a strategic investment in the future of JMU Athletics. By focusing on recruiting and retaining top-tier student-athletes, the department and its constituents will work collectively to ensure that JMU remains competitive on a national level.
 
“At JMU, our mission has always been to elevate the student-athlete experience — academically, athletically, and in personal and leadership development,” JMU Director of Athletics Matt Roan said. “The Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund represents our commitment to providing meaningful opportunities in this new era of college sports. We will be able to attract the very best student-athletes who match the culture and pursuit of excellence that we expect at JMU, while also providing resources to retain them to continue their careers in Harrisonburg while pursuing a degree.”
 
The fund will serve as a vehicle for donors and fans of JMU Athletics to contribute directly to initiatives that impact student-athletes, including revenue sharing models and NIL support structures. By doing so, the Duke Club and JMU Athletics continue to lead with innovation and integrity while reinforcing a culture of excellence.
 
The Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund provides an additional channel for donor giving, but it does not replace the Duke Club Annual Fund. The Annual Fund will continue to serve as the key vehicle to fund student-athlete scholarships, along with the overall department operating budget. As noted in the June 17 communication, JMU Athletics anticipates adding 15 scholarships in 2025-26 with more to come beyond that. The growth of the Annual Fund will be critical to continue addressing the rising scholarship cost for the department.
 
Supporters interested in contributing to the Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund or learning more about its impact can visit JMUDukeClub.com. Potential donors are also encouraged to call the Duke Club to discuss how a gift can best address their areas of interest and the department’s greatest needs.
 



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

5-star QB Ryder Lyons sends clear message about NIL after unexpected BYU commitment

Five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons’ surprising commitment to BYU marks a unique win for the Cougars amid lofty NIL spending sprees in college football. Lyons (6-foot-2.5, 220 pounds) plays for Folsom (California) High School, where he ranks as the No. 4 quarterback, the top player in his state and the No. 13 overall recruit in the […]

Published

22 minutes ago

on

June 24, 2025

By


Five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons’ surprising commitment to BYU marks a unique win for the Cougars amid lofty NIL spending sprees in college football.

Lyons (6-foot-2.5, 220 pounds) plays for Folsom (California) High School, where he ranks as the No. 4 quarterback, the top player in his state and the No. 13 overall recruit in the class of 2026, per 247Sports.

One of the top players in the country, Lyons holds a $785,000 On3 NIL valuation and has amassed over 30 scholarship offers. Some of which from major programs with plenty of backing from an NIL perspective.

Teams like USC and Oregon were previously favored to land the elite passer before he ultimately chose BYU. The Ducks even had Lyons on campus for the weekend of June 13, but that trip to the defending Big Ten champions apparently didn’t sway him from the Cougars.

It’s difficult to quantify BYU’s efforts in the NIL space, as the university is private, but the recruiting trail has always been a challenging aspect for the program. The Cougars finished 59th in the 2025 cycle after signing the nation’s No. 62 class of 2024.

Enter Lyons, whose decision to pledge to BYU makes him the highest-rated recruit for the program since 2003 and the third highest-rated recruit in school history.

And it wasn’t NIL money that drove his decision, Lyons’ revealed Tuesday during an appearance on “The Pat McAffee Show.”

“It’s hard,” he said of his recruitment and NIL offers. “It’s hard for sure. I do have someone who handles it for me. I have an agent. I have a whole team. But it definitely makes it just confusing. I mean, you’re thrown a lot of money from a lot of different places.”

“But I think you got to obviously stay humble,” Lyons said. “Money is not the biggest part. I mean, the biggest part is making it to the NFL, because that’s where the serious money is. That’s where the long term money is.”

Lyons went on to credit his mother for pushing him to think beyond his collegiate career with sights set on the NFL.

It’s clear that the Lyons’ family feels comfortable with allowing head coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick to develop him into a professional.



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

How NIL money is reshaping the NBA draft: Fewer early entrants, more college stars staying put

How NIL money is reshaping the NBA draft: Fewer early entrants, more college stars staying put – myMotherLode.com   Link 0

Published

23 minutes ago

on

June 24, 2025

By






How NIL money is reshaping the NBA draft: Fewer early entrants, more college stars staying put – myMotherLode.com

































































 




Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

Mormon Church Won’t Pay 5-Star QB Ryder Lyons To Play At BYU

BYU Athletics Audio By Carbonatix Ryder Lyons is likely going to get paid a lot of NIL money to play college football at BYU. Not one single dollar will come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or through tithing. All of the agreed upon payments will be made through the university’s affiliated […]

Published

1 hour ago

on

June 24, 2025

By


Ryder Lyons BYU NIL Deal College Football Mormon Church
BYU Athletics
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Ryder Lyons is likely going to get paid a lot of NIL money to play college football at BYU. Not one single dollar will come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or through tithing.

All of the agreed upon payments will be made through the university’s affiliated NIL collective, which is funded entirely by the people on a voluntary basis.

Lyons, a five-star quarterback in the college football recruiting Class of 2026, ranks as the fourth-best player at his position behind Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon, Houston commit Keisean Henderson and Georgia commit Jared Curtis. He holds more than 30 offers from schools all over the country and boasts more than 230,000 followers on TikTok. His highlight tape is legit.

The entirety of Lyons’ recruitment has been documented on social media— either by him or his sister Kapri. She often posts behind-the-scenes videos from their visits to different college campuses. They most recently stopped over in Provo to check out Brigham Young University.

Ryder (tried to) cut up in the locker room while he was there.

It seems as though BYU made Ryder Lyons an offer he could not refuse because he committed to the Cougars on Tuesday morning. Oregon was likely the runner-up. It is a huge get for Kalani Sitake!

I cannot say for certain because NIL numbers are rarely made public, but I would imagine BYU presented Lyons with a lucrative financial package. The Cougars paid out a lot of money to assemble one of the best rosters in college basketball through the transfer portal. They will also pay No. 1 overall recruit A.J. Dybantsa more than $4 million for just one season.

All of that happened after one of the university’s big money boosters vowed to spend whatever money necessary to land top talent. Paul Liljenquist serves as the CEO of Focus Services, a $500 million company based out of Utah. He made it abundantly clear that “you’re not going to outbid BYU.”

Ryder Lyons said in February that NIL can show “how much [a program] is invested in you” so money absolutely played a huge role in his commitment. As did his faith. The five-star quarterback will not play college football until 2027. He is going to take a year to serve his Mormon mission before he enrolls. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is important to him. Provo directly aligns with his values.

With that being said, the Church does not have anything to do with the financial side of Lyons’ recruitment. BYU Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink made sure to debunk that popular narrative.

Just to be clear, because there are all sorts of strange narratives out there, I would just reiterate that there is absolutely no church or university financial support of any student-athlete agreements. Tithing will never be used to support our athletics department in any way, including revenue sharing with student-athletes.

— Keith Vorkink, via Deseret News

Ryder Lyons chose BYU because of faith. Ryder Lyons also chose BYU because of money. Those two things do not overlap. There is a separation of Church and football.





Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

College Basketball Insider assesses if West Virginia could be dark horse in Big 12

West Virginia will have their fourth head coach in as many seasons with them entering this next season under Ross Hodge. That leaves Jon Rothstein uncertain of where the Mountaineers will finish this year in the Big 12. Rothstein was asked if West Virginia could be a possible dark horse team in the conference next […]

Published

1 hour ago

on

June 24, 2025

By


West Virginia will have their fourth head coach in as many seasons with them entering this next season under Ross Hodge. That leaves Jon Rothstein uncertain of where the Mountaineers will finish this year in the Big 12.

Rothstein was asked if West Virginia could be a possible dark horse team in the conference next year on the latest episode of his show for CBS Sports. He pushed off his answer until next month until he can better assess his projected standings for the Big 12.

“Check back in July when we do the Big 12 preview,” Rothstein said.

That’s less to do with how good or bad that the Mountaineers could be. It’s just, among the sixteen-team conference, Rothstein already has the top half, with eight or nine programs, already projected well in ’25-’26.

“I look at it like this. If you are going to be an NCAA Tournament team in the Big 12, you’ve got to be in that top seven or eight,” said Rothstein. “I’ve given you my top-five today – Houston, BYU, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Arizona. Cincinnati, Kansas, Baylor all in there as well. That is my top eight. And Kansas State, also with PJ Haggerty, will have a First Team All-American in tow.”

Hodge will be the third-straight new head coach in Morgantown after the resignation of Bob Huggins, the firing of their interim in Josh Eilert, and Darian DeVries leaving this offseason for Indiana. The Mountaineers have gone 47-51 (.480) in those three years leading into Hodge’s hiring towards the end of March. He brings with him a two-year resumé as a head coach from North Texas where the Mean Green went 46-24 (.657), finishing second this past season in the American, with two of the best defenses in that time in all of the NCAA.

With that latest coaching change, though, comes the roster turnover with it. West Virginia had 14 transactions in the NCAA Transfer Portal with eight additions, led by Treysen Eaglestaff (North Dakota), and six departures, namely Tucker DeVries (Indiana) and Amani Hansberry (Virginia Tech). They also lost Javon Small, an All Big-12 First Team selection for them last season who was out of eligibility and is in projections to be a second-round pick this week in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Big 12 will again be competitive with several programs looking like contenders, in the conference and nationally, for next season. It remains to be seen, though, if West Virginia can be among those when they take the court for the first time, in what’ll hopefully be a longer tenure, under Hodge.



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

How NIL money is reshaping the NBA draft: Fewer early entrants, more college stars staying put | State-national

Will Wade’s work building N.C. State into an immediate winner included the pursuit of an entrant in the NBA draft, just in case he returned to college. It wasn’t a huge risk: With all the cash flowing in college, the number of early entrants to the NBA draft has continued to shrink. This year’s draft […]

Published

2 hours ago

on

June 24, 2025

By


Will Wade’s work building N.C. State into an immediate winner included the pursuit of an entrant in the NBA draft, just in case he returned to college.

It wasn’t a huge risk: With all the cash flowing in college, the number of early entrants to the NBA draft has continued to shrink. This year’s draft starts Wednesday night with its lowest total of those prospects in at least 10 years.


This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm“}@H J@F 42? A=2J E96 =@?8 82>6 2 =:EE=6 3:E >@C6[” (256 E@=5 %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD[ C676CC:?8 E@ 9@H 4@==686 A=2J6CD 42? =@@< 2E E96:C 7FEFC6D] “{@@<[ x 42? 86E A2:5 E96 D2>6 x H@F=5 86E A2:5 😕 E96 v {628F6[ E96 D2>6 x H@F=5 86E A2:5 @? 2 EH@\H2J W4@?EC24EX[ D@>6 8FJD 2C6 86EE:?8 7:CDE\C@F?5 >@?6J]Qk^Am

kAmp?5 >@C6 >@?6J 😀 @? E96 H2J]k^Am

kAmxEVD 366? 7@FC J62CD D:?46 4@==686 2E9=6E6D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^=2HD\DA@CED\e73`_362c`fe24e2h`a`bg46f7_2fec6QmH6C6 A6C>:EE65 E@ AC@7:E @77 E96 FD6 @7 E96:C ?2>6[ :>286 2?5 =:<6?6DD W}x{Xk^2m[ @A6?:?8 E96 5@@C 7@C 2E9=6E6 4@>A6?D2E:@? E92E H2D @?46 7@C3:556? 3J }rpp CF=6D] }6IE H66<[ @? yF=J `[ >2C^2CE:4=6^?422\D6EE=6>6?E\cbdd4_53g33a622cacged_dhc7`df_dbQm@77:4:2= DE2CE @7 C6G6?F6 D92C:?8k^2m H96C6 D49@@=D 42? 368:? 5:C64E=J A2J:?8 2E9=6E6D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?422\9@FD6\D6EE=6>6?E\22b`eh_de6g`hc26637bcchdec`346_3Qm7@==@H:?8 E96 Sa]g 3:==:@? w@FD6 2?E:ECFDE D6EE=6>6?Ek^2m]k^Am

kAmu@C (256[ E92E =65 E@ D:8?:?8 %6I2D %649VD s2CC:@? (:==:2>D 27E6C acfDA@CED’ 7:7E9\C2?<65 EC2?D76C H:E95C6H 7C@> E96 5C27E]k^Am

kAm“q2D:42==J ?@H :7 J@F’C6 2? 62C=J 6?ECJ 2?5 J@F’C6 ?@E 2 E@A\a_[ E@A\aa A:4< — H96C6 E96 >@?6J D=@ED — J@F 42? AC6EEJ >F49 >2<6 E92E 😕 4@==686[” E96 ?6H (@=7A24< 4@249 D2:5]k^Am

kAmxEVD 2== A2CE @7 2 D6:D>:4 492?86 E92E 92D C:AA=65 E9C@F89 4@==686 2E9=6E:4D D:?46 E96 A2?56>:4[ :ED :>A24E E@F49:?8 E96 }qp] !=2J6CD H:==:?8 E@ “E6DE E96 H2E6CD” 😕 E96 5C27E 367@C6 C6EFC?:?8 E@ D49@@= ?@H 92G6 2 =F4C2E:G6 @AE:@? E@ 4@?D:56C 282:?DE F?46CE2:? AC@ AC@DA64ED]k^Am

kAmp?5 :E D9@HD 😕 E96 ?F>36CD]k^Am

kAm“(:E9 2== E96 >@?6J E92E’D 36:?8 E9C@H? 2C@F?5 😕 }x{[ J@F’C6 92G:?8 2 =@E =6DD A=2J6CD AFE E96:C ?2>6D :?[” k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^56EC@:E\A:DE@?D\5h64ggf52ecggeg4h`e4__4`6g45gfg4Qms6EC@:E !:DE@?D AC6D:56?E @7 32D<6E32== @A6C2E:@?D %C2;2? {2?85@?k^2m D2:5] “*@F’C6 92G:?8 AC6EEJ 8@@5 A=2J6CD AF==:?8 E96:C ?2>6D @FE]”k^Am

k9ams64=:?:?8 ?F>36C @7 62C=J 6?EC2?EDk^9am

kAm%9:D J62CVD 5C@A 😀 D:8?:7:42?E H96? 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 J62CD 367@C6 2?J@?6 925 962C5 @7 r~’xs\`h] %96C6 H2D 2 DA:<6 @7 4@==686 A=2J6CD ;F>A:?8 :?E@ E96 5C27E 😕 E96 A2?56>:4VD 27E6C>2E9[ H96? E96J H6C6 8C2?E65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^4@G:5\7:7E9\J62C\32D<6E32==\A=2J6CD\d_64e7dbe26`f4_7ffechc55_`4f6_ccQm2 7C66 6=:8:3:=:EJ J62Ck^2m E@ E6>A@C2C:=J >2<6 6G6? 2 7@FCE9\J62C D6?:@C 2? “62C=J” 6?EC2?E]k^Am

kAmqFE E9@D6 ?F>36CD 925 72==6? 2D E9@D6 7:G6\J62C A=2J6CD 4J4=65 @FE @7 4@==686 32D<6E32==[ 2?5 E96JVC6 ?@H 36=@H AC6\A2?56>:4 =6G6=D] %92E 564=:?6 4@:?4:56D H:E9 }x{’D yF=J a_a` 2CC:G2=[ 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\=:76DEJ=6\DA@CED\7@@E32==\4@==686\7@@E32==\eh4hd`hec44aah6h_`gea44`f_g2b3h`Qm2E9=6E6D 5@:?8 A2:5 2AA62C2?46D @C D@4:2=\>65:2 6?5@CD6>6?EDk^2m E@ 3@@DE6CD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?:=\4@==64E:G6D\325e52ac6_bfca452h7536ee53e246hdQm7@C>:?8 4@==64E:G6D @776C:?8 }x{ A24<286D 2>@F?E:?8 E@ 56 724E@ D2=2C:6Dk^2m]k^Am

kAmpD 2 C6DF=Eik^Am

kAm— t:89EJ\EH@ A=2J6CD 2AA62C65 @? E96 }qpVD =:DE @7 62C=J 6?EC2?ED AC:>2C:=J 7C@> p>6C:42? 4@==686D H:E9 2 D>2EE6C:?8 @7 @E96C E62>D[ 5@H? chT 7C@> a_ac W`eaX 2?5 ?62C=J cfT 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 7@FC\J62C 2G6C286 7C@> a_`e\`h W`db]dXjk^Am

kAm— %9:CEJ\EH@ C6>2:?65 27E6C H:E95C2H2= 5625=:?6D[ 5@H? 7C@> ea =2DE J62C 2?5 fa]_ 7C@> a_`e\`hjk^Am

kAm— p55:?8 :?E6C?2E:@?2= AC@DA64ED[ `_h A=2J6CD 564=2C65 7@C E96 5C27E[ 5@H? 7C@> a_` =2DE J62C 2?5 a_d]_ 7C@> a_`e\`hjk^Am

kAm— p?5 @?=J ce C6>2:?65[ 5@H? 7C@> ff 😕 a_ac 2?5 gb]g 7C@> a_`e\`h]k^Am

k9am|@C6 4@==686 A=2J6CD H6:89:?8 @AE:@?Dk^9am

kAmsF<6 4@249 y@? $496J6C F?56CDE2?5D 5C27E 5J?2>:4D[ 3@E9 7@C ?@\5@F3E 9625=:?6CD 2?5 AC@DA64ED 724:?8 =6DD 4=2C:EJ] w6 D66D 4@==686 2E9=6E6 4@>A6?D2E:@? 2D 2 “=68:E:>2E6 82>6492?86C]Qk^Am

kAm“w@A67F==J :E 2==@HD A=2J6CD E@ 564:56 H92E’D ECF=J 36DE 7@C E96:C 82>6[” $496J6C E@=5 E96 p!] “xE 2==@HD E96> E@ 2?2=JK6i ‘p> x 24EF2==J C625J 7@C E9:D @C ?@En’ (96C6 >@?6J 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 36 E96 564:5:?8 724E@C] q642FD6 :7 >@?6J’D E96 564:5:?8 724E@C[ E92E’D H9J J@F D66 <:5D ?@E DE:4<] %96 }qp’D 4FEE9C@2E] xE ;FDE :D]”k^Am

kAm%96 q=F6 s6G:=D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 92G6 E9C66 A=2J6CD D6=64E65 😕 E96 7:CDE\C@F?5 (65?6D52J[ :?4=F5:?8 AC6DF>AE:G6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2A\A=2J6C\@7\J62C\4@@A6C\7=288\e_5c4e635c64c72c74a3_f5fb365fb7_Qm}@] ` A:4< r@@A6C u=288k^2m 2=@?8D:56 E@A\`_ AC@DA64ED z@? z?F6AA6= 2?5 z92>2? |2=F249] %96J 2=D@ 925 A=2J6CD D@CE:?8 E9C@F89 5C27E 564:D:@?D]k^Am

kAmuC6D9>2? xD2:29 tG2?D — 2 D=6?56C H:?8 H:E9 6IA=@D:G6 D4@C:?8 A@E6?E:2= — H:E95C6H :?DE625 @7 492D:?8 7:CDE\C@F?5 DE2EFD E9C@F89 E96 5C27E AC@46DD] x?4@>:?8 EC2?D76C r65C:4 r@H2C5 7C@> (2D9:?8E@? $E2E6 C2A:5=J C@D6 5C27E 3@2C5D 27E6C E96 4@>3:?6 2?5 C6>2:?65 😕 E96 5C27E]k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D ?@ DF3DE:EFE:?8 E96 >@?6J J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 :7 J@F’C6 2 E@A\`d[ E@A\a_ A:4<[” D2:5 $496J6C[ 6?E6C:?8 *62C c k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2C49\>25?6DD\7:?2=\7@FC\5F<6\;@?\D496J6C\34f3`__b26`b`34agb`h45f_e2547c22Qm2D DF446DD@C E@ C6E:C65 w2== @7 u2>6C |:<6 zCKJK6HD<:k^2m] “qFE :7 J@F’C6 ?@E D@=:5:7:65 2D 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 A:4<[ H9J C:D< :E H96? J@F 42? 92G6 2 D@=:5 J62C 2?5 2 492?46 E@ 8@ FA @C 36 😕 E96 D2>6 A@D:E:@? E96 7@==@H:?8 D62D@?n”k^Am

k9amr@==686 4@>A6?D2E:@? 😀 C6\D92A:?8 E96 5C27E A@@=k^9am

kAm{2?85@?[ 9:>D6=7 2 7@C>6C sF<6 7:CDE\C@F?56C[ D66D E92E 6G@=FE:@?[ E@@]k^Am

kAmw:D !:DE@?D 925 E96:C 7:CDE A=2J@77 2AA62C2?46 D:?46 a_`h[ 3FE =24< 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 D6=64E:@? 2?5 @H? 2 D:?8=6 A:4< 😕 %9FCD52J’D D64@?5 C@F?5] u6H6C 42?5:52E6D 4@F=5 >2<6 E96 2=C625J :>A6C764E D4:6?46 @7 5C27E:?8 6G6? EC:4<:6C 😕 E9:D ?6H C62=:EJ]k^Am

kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 }qp’D a_ac\ad C@@<:6 D42=6[ 2 A=2J6C 8@:?8 >:5H2J E9C@F89 E96 7:CDE C@F?5 H@F=5 >2<6 C@F89=J Sb]d >:==:@? 😕 7:CDE\J62C D2=2CJ] %92E 7:8FC6 H@F=5 5C@A E@ 23@FE Sa]g >:==:@? 2E A:4< }@] a_[ Sa]b >:==:@? 2E }@] ad 2?5 Sa]` >:==:@? H:E9 E96 b_E9 2?5 7:?2= 7:CDE\C@F?5 5C27E66]k^Am

kAmp >:?:>F> 7:CDE\J62C }qp D2=2CJn #@F89=J S`]a >:==:@?]k^Am

kAm“%96D6 }x{ A24<286D 2C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ 86E FA E@ Sb E@ Sc E@ Sd E@ Se >:==:@? 5@==2CD[” {2?85@? D2:5] “%96D6 8FJD 2C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ AFE E96:C ?2>6 😕 E@ 36 E96 adE9 A:4<[ @C 6G6? E96 `gE9 A:4<] %96J 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 8@ 324< E@ D49@@= 😕 9@A6D @7 36:?8 2 =@EE6CJ A:4< ?6IE J62C] (:E9 E92E A@@= @7 A=2J6CD 564C62D:?8[ :E <:?5 @7 564C62D6D E96 @55D @7 E96 =6G6= @7 A=2J6C H6 86E 2E }@] bf[ ;FDE E96 AFC6 >2E96>2E:4D]”k^Am

k9amrFCC6?E }qp A=2J6CD @776C :?D:89Ek^9am

kAmx?5:2?2 !246CD 3:8 >2? %9@>2D qCJ2?E 2?5 ~<=29@>2 r:EJ %9F?56C 4@F?E6CA2CE xD2:29 w2CE6?DE6:?[ H9@ 3@E9 A=2J65 😕 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\7:?2=D\E9F?56C\492>A:@?D\g_fe2b7c5e764h3_4a33335fh7`f67bgQmE96 D6G6?\82>6 }qp u:?2=D E92E 6?565 $F?52Jk^2m[ :==FDEC2E6 {2?85@?’D A@:?E]k^Am

kAm%96J H6C6 324<\E@\324< D64@?5\C@F?56CD 😕 a_`f WqCJ2?E 2E ca[ w2CE6?DE6:? 2E cbX[ AFD965 5@H? 2 5C27E 3@2C5 762EFC:?8 62C=J\6?ECJ 4@==686 A=2J6CD 😕 bb @7 E96 c` A:4]k^Am

kAmqCJ2?E A=2J65 EH@ 4@==686 D62D@?D 2E x?5:2?2 367@C6 DE:?ED H:E9 7:G6 }qp E62>D[ :?4=F5:?8 s6?G6C’D a_ab 492>A:@?D9:A DBF25] (@F=5 E96 23:=:EJ E@ >2<6 4@==686 >@?6J 92G6 492?865 9:D ;@FC?6Jnk^Am

kAm“%@ 36 9@?6DE[ x D66 :E 7C@> 3@E9 D:56D[Q qCJ2?E D2:5] Qx7 J@F’C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 86E 5C27E65[ J@F F?56CDE2?5 E92E 2 <:5 ?665D >@?6J E@ =:G6 😕 4@==686 2?5 6G6CJE9:?8] $@[ x F?56CDE2?5 H96C6 E96J’C6 4@>:?8 7C@> @? E92E 6?5]k^Am

kAm“qFE 7@C >6[ x E@@< E96 492?46] x 36E @? >JD6=7[ 2?5 x 36=:6G65 😕 >JD6=7[ 2?5 x H@C<65 E@ E96 G6CJ 6?5] p?5 E96 E9:?8 23@FE >6 😀 E92E :7 x H6?E 5@H?[ x H2D 8@:?8 5@H? DH:?8:?8] x 92?8 >J 92E @? E92E] u@C D@>6[ :E >:89E ?@E 36 E96 D2>6 42D6]Qk^Am

kAm%96 p>6C:42?\3@C? w2CE6?DE6:? >@G65 E@ v6C>2?J 2E “ 2?5 A=2J65 😕 {:E9F2?:2 367@C6 36:?8 5C27E65] pD 96 AFE :Ei “x E9:?< 6G6CJ@?6’D ;@FC?6J 😀 5:776C6?E]”k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< J@F D9@F=5 92G6 E96 C:89E A6@A=6 2C@F?5 J@F E@ <:?5 @7 8F:56 J@F[” D2:5 w2CE6?DE6:?[ 2 ?6H=J >:?E65 }qp 492>A:@?] “x >62?[ x H2D =F4J 525[ H9@ H2D 2 AC@76DD:@?2= 367@C6[ <:?5 @7 8F:565 >6] s6A6?5:?8 @? J@FC 4:C4F>DE2?46D[ :E’D 92C5 E@ EFC? 5@H? 8F2C2?E665 >@?6J] x7 E96C6’D 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 86E 😕 2 8@@5 D:EF2E:@? 😕 E96 }qp[ J@F 5@ E92E] qFE :E’D 2 92C5 564:D:@?]”k^Am

k9amr@==686 ?@H 42? 36 >@C6 @7 2? 2==FC6k^9am

kAmpE }]r] $E2E6[ (256VD A:E49 E@ (:==:2>D :?4=F565 2 =625:?8 C@=6 2?5 2 D9@E 2E 3@@DE:?8 9:D 5C27E DE@4<]k^Am

kAm%96 e\7@@E\e ;F?:@C 2G6C2865 `d]` A@:?ED H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2C49\>25?6DD\2C<2?D2D\E6I2D\E649\D4@C6\cg6f67`a2cdd336b4d4ee4263ag4_42dQm>F=E:A=6 3:8 }rpp %@FC?2>6?E A6C7@C>2?46Dk^2m 2D E96 #65 #2:56CD C624965 E96 t=:E6 t:89E[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2C49\>25?6DD\E6I2D\E649\7=@C:52\D4@C6\b2d527faa___5ff“ghf3daeabd5d2h7Qm?62C=J 362E:?8 6G6?EF2= 492>A:@? u=@C:52k^2m]k^Am

kAm“w6 H2D >@DE =:<6=J 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 D64@?5\C@F?5 5C27E A:4<[ 2?5 9:D A24<286 96C6 😀 36EE6C E92? AC@323=J 96 H@F=5’G6 8@EE6? 2D 2 D64@?5\C@F?5 A:4<[” (256 D2:5[ 255:?8i “(6 46CE2:?=J E2=<65 23@FE E92E] (6 H6?E @G6C E92E] (6 H6?E @G6C E96 >2E9 @7 6G6CJE9:?8] (6 H6?E @G6C E96 A=2? @? 9@H E@ 244@>A=:D9 E92E]Qk^Am

kAm%92EVD ?@E E@ D2J :EVD 62DJ 2E E96 4@==686 =6G6= 😕 E9:D ?6H =2?5D42A6] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^DA@CED\4@==686\32D<6E32==\>6?D\ffh“hg4g6d4b_5beh5_e4343`4aeag5Qm#@DE6C >2?286>6?Ek^2m 😀 EC:42:?E2:?:?8 7:?2?4:2= C6D@FC46D E@ A@E6?E:2==J =2?5 @?6 A=2J6C H9:=6 C:D<:?8 >:DD:?8 @FE @? @E96CD]k^Am

kAm“xE’D E96 H2J =:76 H@CD @7 H2:E:?8 @? E96 >@?6J 2?5 H2:E:?8 E96> @FE[ 2C6 E96 36DE A=2J6CD] %92E’D H9J E96J’C6 😕 E96 5C27E AC@46DD] (6’C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 36 D42C65 @7 E92E]”k^Am

kAm}@C D9@F=5 96[ ?@E H:E9 E96 2==FC6 @7 42>AFD =:76 E96D6 52JD]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! q2D<6E32== (C:E6C %:> #6J?@=5D 2?5 p! $A@CED (C:E6C {2CCJ {286 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^?32k^2mk^Am





Link

0
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending