The pool of gamers for 2025 NBA Draft is taking form after the deadline for gamers to maintain their names within the draft or return to high school for the 2025-26 faculty basketball season got here and went. Gamers had till Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET to withdraw from the draft and preserve faculty eligibility beneath the NCAA deadline. Regardless that gamers had all day to resolve their future, there wasn’t a lot Eleventh-hour drama within the moments main as much as the official deadline.
A handful of gamers, equivalent to Washington State star Cedric Coward and Michigan ahead Yaxel Lendeborg, made their intentions recognized earlier than the deadline. Coward introduced final weekend that he would keep within the draft and never switch to Duke. Lendeborg, a possible first-round choose, determined to bypass the draft and play for Dusty Could at Michigan.
On the day of the deadline, St. John’s ahead RJ Luis Jr., Penn State massive man Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Florida State ahead Jamir Watkins and Arkansas wing Adou Thiero introduced they might be staying within the draft.
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford and San Diego State wing Miles Byrd had been among the many gamers who introduced their intention to return to high school for one more season. Pettiford was a possible first-round choose however now can be given the keys to the offense at Auburn for a program recent off a Remaining 4 look.
With the deadline now within the books, right here is who’s staying in faculty and who’s chasing their NBA desires.
Notable late NBA Draft choices
Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Penn State
Draft resolution: Staying within the draft
Konan Niederhauser had a robust exhibiting on the NBA Draft Mix earlier this month and raised his inventory. The 7-foot ahead may gain advantage from different gamers electing to return to high school as a substitute of staying within the draft. Konan Niederhauser tasks as a second-round choose. — Cameron Salerno
RJ Luis Jr., St. John’s
Draft resolution: Staying within the draft
It is not stunning that Luis is staying within the draft, however after getting into the switch portal after a breakout season at St. John’s, it appeared staying in faculty may very well be on the desk. As a substitute, Luis is popping professional. Luis has protectable instruments as a 6-foot-7 wing to make an influence on the NBA degree, however he’ll probably slide to the second spherical of the draft. — Salerno
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Draft resolution: Returning to Alabama
A late-night shock! Philon, who advised CBS Sports activities on the NBA Draft Mix that the door was closed on a return to varsity basketball, has modified his thoughts and can run it again at Alabama for his sophomore season. The 6-foot-4 lead guard regarded poised to be a possible first-round choose subsequent month, however he might skyrocket into the lottery dialog in 2026 with one other sturdy season in Tuscaloosa. It is a large boon for an Alabama roster that regarded a tad underwhelming … till now. Philon will put his hat within the ring as a reputable SEC Participant of the 12 months candidate in 2025-26. — Isaac Trotter
Miles Byrd, San Diego State
Draft resolution: Returning to San Diego State
Byrd is coming off a breakout 2024-25 marketing campaign however nonetheless wants extra time in faculty to maximise his inventory. Byrd began 30 video games and averaged career-highs in factors, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds. He ought to be a candidate to develop into a first-round choose in 2026 alongside his teammate, Magoon Gwath. — Salerno
Otega Oweh, Kentucky
Draft resolution: Returning to Kentucky
Oweh is coming again to Kentucky. The previous Oklahoma guard transferred to Kentucky final offseason and loved the very best season of his profession. Oweh averaged 16.2 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Returning to high school is the correct resolution and is a large win for coach Mark Pope. — Salerno
Adou Thiero, Arkansas
Draft resolution: Staying within the draft
Arkansas coach John Calipari will depend on Thiero this summer season to maintain his streak of consecutive drafts with a first-round choice. Calipari has had a participant chosen within the first spherical since 2008, which dates again to his time at Memphis. Thiero is a fringe first-round choose who might see a lift in his inventory as a result of different gamers returning to high school. — Salerno
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Draft resolution: Returning to Auburn
Pettiford returning to high school is not a lot of a shock. It is the correct resolution. He was going to be a fringe first-round choose. As a substitute, he will get the prospect to return to Auburn and can get the keys to the offense and an NIL deal price greater than $2 million, a supply advised CBS Sports activities’ Matt Norlander.
He was a microwave scorer off the bench final season, and his function will enhance drastically. Pettiford ought to be a sleeper All-American candidate. — Salerno
Jamir Watkins, Florida State
Draft resolution: Staying within the draft
After getting into the switch portal after two seasons at Florida State, Watkins is remaining within the draft. That is considerably of a stunning transfer, as Watkins tasks as a mid-to-late second-round choice. Watkins drew curiosity within the switch portal from varied groups. —Salerno
Nate Bittle, Oregon
Draft resolution: Returning to Oregon
Bittle withdrew from the NBA Draft and can return to Oregon for his senior season. The 7-foot, 240-pound middle is among the elite stretch bigs in all of school basketball. He shot 40% from 3-point vary in Large Ten play whereas notching the second-best block proportion in league play. Bittle was a Third Workforce All-Large Ten choice this previous season.
The large man’s return provides Oregon one of many elite duos in all of school basketball. Purdue’s level guard-big man mixture of Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn would be the solely level guard-big man pairing that’s higher than Bittle and lead guard Jackson Shelstad. — Trotter
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Draft resolution: Withdrawing from draft, transferring to Michigan
Lendeborg, a projected first-round choose in two recent mock drafts by CBS Sports, will headline one of many premier switch portal courses in faculty basketball at Michigan, which ranks second behind St. John’s in the 247Sports recruiting rankings.
Lendeborg obtained a NIL bundle believed to be within the neighborhood of $3 million to return to high school, sources indicated to CBS Sports activities. He led Division l in double-doubles at UAB final season. — Salerno
Alex Condon, Florida
Draft resolution: Returning to Florida
One of many greatest offseason wins for the reigning nationwide champions got here on the eve of the withdrawal deadline when Condon introduced his return to Florida. Condon was Florida’s beginning middle final season however will profit by returning to high school for one more season. He’ll enter subsequent season as a projected first-round choose within the 2026 draft. — Salerno
Cedric Coward, Washington State/Duke
Draft resolution: Staying within the 2025 NBA Draft
One of the biggest winners of the NBA Draft Combine was Coward, so it is not stunning that he won’t ever play a sport for Duke. Coward performed in simply seven video games final season for Washington State and averaged 17.7 factors, 7.0 rebounds and three.7 assists.
Coward started his profession on the Division III degree and had a two-year stint at Eastern Washington earlier than transferring to WSU. Coward projected as a first-round choose in a number of mock drafts by CBS Sports activities. — Salerno
Milos Uzan, Houston
Draft resolution: Returning to Houston
Uzan took a major step ahead throughout his first 12 months at Houston. He was the Cougars’ greatest 3-point shooter, connecting on 42.8% from past the arc. However outdoors of his efficiency towards Purdue within the Candy 16 — which noticed him rating a game-winning bucket to assist the Cougars advance — he did not have his greatest exhibiting within the NCAA Match.
Houston projects as a preseason top-three team heading into the 2025-26 marketing campaign. Getting Uzan again helps the Cougars make the case for preseason No. 1 this fall. — Salerno
Karter Knox, Arkansas
Draft resolution: Returning to Arkansas
Knox, the brother of former Kentucky star and lottery choose Kevin Knox ll, performed for a similar coach his brother did throughout his first season. Knox was beforehand dedicated to Kentucky earlier than flipping to comply with coach John Calipari to Arkansas.
Knox ought to be in line for a bigger function in 12 months 2. He averaged 8.3 factors and three.3 rebounds in 36 video games for the Razorbacks. — Salerno
PJ Haggerty, Memphis / Kansas State
Draft resolution: Withdrawing from draft, transferring to Kansas State
Haggerty can be at his fourth faculty in 4 years. After stops at TCU, Tulsa and, most lately, Memphis, Haggerty went via the draft course of earlier than withdrawing from the draft. Haggerty was one of many top-ranked gamers within the switch portal obtainable. He’ll be a part of a Kansas State squad coming off a 16-17 exhibiting.
Haggerty averaged 21.7 factors and earned All-American honors from CBS Sports. — Salerno
Darrion Williams, NC State
Draft resolution: Returning to high school, transferring to NC State
Williams was one of many heroes of Texas Tech’s run to the Elite Eight this previous spring. After declaring for the draft whereas concurrently getting into the switch portal, Williams determined to take away his title from draft consideration and dedicated to NC State.
Williams’ dedication is a part of a roster overhaul at NC State for first-year coach Will Wade. — Salerno
