How 2026 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline decisions impact ClutchPoints’ most recent mock draft

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How 2026 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline decisions impact ClutchPoints’ most recent mock draft

Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, May 28, 2026 ·

5 min read

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The 2026 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline for those wanting to return to college for at least one more season was on Wednesday, May 27, at 11:59 p.m. ET. As a result, several notable draft prospects returned to college in the new NIL landscape, while others made their final decisions and remained in the NBA Draft.

After 71 players filed as early entrants, a new low in the recent draft cycle due to NIL rules and players getting paid at the college level, 28 draft prospects decided to withdraw their names and returned to the NCAA.

Obviously, big names like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer all kept their names in the draft. On Wednesday, they were joined by Koa Peat and Meleek Thomas, two freshmen who were on the fence about returning to college but will ultimately begin their professional journeys this summer.

Both Peat and Thomas are projected first-round picks in ClutchPoints' latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft 2.0.

With this said, 10 players projected to be one of the 60 picks in June's draft in our latest mock draft ultimately decided to return to college, headlined by Tounde Yessoufou, who was projected to go No. 30 overall to the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the first round.

Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday's NBA Draft withdrawal deadline, including the full list of who remained in the draft and who withdrew their name.

FULL CLUTCHPOINTS 2026 NBA MOCK DRAFT 2.0
FULL CLUTCHPOINTS 2026 NBA BIG BOARD 2.0

Tounde Yessoufou withdraws from draft, transfers to St. John's

Early in the draft process, Tounde Yessoufou entering the draft as an early entrant was a given. Many scouts and league personnel envisioned him as a one-and-done player due to his extreme burst and athleticism on the wing.

Despite the lack of shooting and a consistent jumper in his game, Yessoufou was rated as a first-round prospect.

However, at the NBA Draft Combine and during some pre-draft workouts, Yessoufou began receiving feedback that put him near the end of the first round, with some mock drafts projecting him to be a second-round selection.

Although Yessoufou possesses elite scoring abilities off the dribble and is viewed as a bucket-getter in the open court, he still needs time to develop his jump shot. That is why returning to college and transferring to St. John's to play for Rick Pitino was a fantastic choice for the young swingman.

Now, Yessoufou projects as a top-20 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.

Before withdrawing from the draft, Yessoufou was projected to go No. 30 overall in ClutchPoints' Mock Draft 2.0, and he was ranked No. 33 overall in ClutchPoints' 2026 NBA Draft Big Board 2.0 as the ninth-best shooting guard and 10th-best small forward.

Projected second-round picks returning to college

Several prospects who were projected to be second-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft ultimately decided to return to college, where they will spend an extra year developing and earn a lot more money via NIL than being a second-round pick.

Milan Momcilovic (#38 on ClutchPoints' latest Big Board 2.0) was perhaps the biggest name to return to college as a second-round-rated prospect simply because of the programs bidding on him with NIL funds. Louisville, Arizona, and Kentucky are all in the mix for Momcilovic after St. John's landed Yessoufou in the transfer portal.

Amari Allen (#21 on big board), Malachi Moreno (#35), Tyler Tanner (#39), Matt Able (#40), Flory Bidunga (#43), Billy Richmond III (#47), Andrej Stojakovic (#55), and Jeremy Fears Jr. (#62) also withdrew their names from the 2026 NBA Draft and return to college.

All players are returning to their previous collegiate programs except Able, who is transferring from NC State to UNC, and Bidunga, who is transferring from Kansas to Louisville.

Allen returning to Alabama is not a shocking decision, given his need to develop more on offense, but he now becomes a potential lottery pick in a much weaker 2027 NBA Draft class. Expect Allen to be a possible All-American during the 2026-27 NCAA season.

Early entrants remaining in 2026 NBA Draft

A total of 71 players filed as early entry candidates for the 2026 NBA Draft. While players have until June 13 to make their final decision on whether to remain in the draft or not, the deadline for those to withdraw and maintain their collegiate eligibility was on Wednesday, May 27, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

These are the players who have remained in the 2026 NBA Draft and have forgone their college eligibility:

Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas) – Projected #7 to SAC in CP's latest Mock Draft 2.0 | 6th overall in Big Board 2.0
Nate Ament (Tennessee) – Projected #10 to MIL | #11 overall prospect
Christian Anderson Jr. (Texas Tech) – Projected #19 to TOR | #23 overall prospect
Cameron Boozer (Duke) – Projected #3 to MEM | #4 overall prospect
Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville) – Projected #6 to BKN | #8 overall prospect
Brayden Burries (Arizona) – Projected #11 to GSW | #7 overall prospect
Cameron Carr (Baylor) – Projected #15 to CHI | #16 overall prospect
Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston) – Projected #18 to CHA | #19 overall prospect
AJ Dybantsa (BYU) – Projected #1 to WAS | #1 overall prospect
Isaiah Evans (Duke) – Projected #26 to DEN | #26 overall prospect
Kingston Flemings (Houston) – Projected #9 to DAL | #9 overall prospect
Allen Graves (Santa Clara) – Projected #24 to NYK | #25 overall prospect
Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan) – Projected #13 to MIA | #12 overall prospect
Aday Mara (Michigan) – Projected #8 to ATL | #13 overall prospect
Ebuka Okorie (Staford) – Projected #21 to DET | #29 overall prospect
Koa Peat (Arizona) – Projected #27 to BOS | #24 overall prospect
Darryn Peterson (Kansas) – Projected #2 to UTA | #2 overall prospect
Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama) – Projected #16 to MEM | #15 overall prospect
Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky) – Projected #20 to SAS | #14 overall prospect
Hannes Steinbach (Washington) – Projected #17 to OKC | #17 overall prospect
Dailyn Swain (Texas) – Projected #22 to PHI | #22 overall prospect
Meleek Thomas (Arkansas) – Projected #28 to MIN | #27 overall prospect
Henri Veesaar (North Carolina) – Projected #31 to NYK | #32 overall prospect
Keaton Wagler (Illinois) – Projected #5 to LAC | #5 overall prospect
Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) – Projected #4 to CHI | #3 overall prospect

Who is returning to NCAA?

With 28 draft prospects withdrawing their names before Wednesday's deadline, that leaves just 43 early entrants remaining in the 2026 NBA Draft pool, one of the lowest totals ever.

New rules regarding NIL and players making money in college have directly impacted the NBA Draft, as the second round is much weaker now with names like Allen and Momcilovic heading back to college.

Below is a complete list of those who have withdrawn their names from the NBA Draft:

Matt Able (NC State → North Carolina) – Projected #41 to MIA in CP's latest Mock Draft 2.0 | 41st overall in Big Board 2.0
Amari Allen (Alabama) – Projected #32 to MEM | #21 overall prospect
Alijah Arenas (USC)
Flory Bidunga (Kansas → Louisville) – Projected #49 to DEN | #43 overall prospect
Finley Bizjack (Butler → West Virginia)
John Blackwell (Wisconsin → Duke)
Shane Blakeney (Drexel → South Carolina)
Anton Bonke (Charlotte → Michigan State)
Rowan Brumbaugh (Tulane → SMU)
Elliot Cadeau (Michigan)
Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
Jacob Cofie (USC)
Cruz Davis (Hofstra → Texas Tech)
Keanu Dawes (Utah → Kansas)
Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State) – Projected #58 to NOP | #62 overall prospect
Colby Garland (SJSU → Georgia Tech)
Juke Harris (Wake Forest → Tennessee)
Isiah Harwell (Houston → Gonzaga)
Acaden Lewis (Villanova → Miami FL)
Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State → Transfer Portal) – Projected #35 to SAS | #38 overall prospect
Malachi Moreno (Kentucky) – Projected #36 to LAC | #35 overall prospect
Paulius Murauskas (St. Mary's → Arizona State)
Dennis Parker (Radford → Kansas)
Billy Richmond (Arkansas) – Projected #52 to LAC | #47 overall prospect
Andrej Stojakovic (Illinois) – Projected #45 to SAC | #55 overall prospect
Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) – Projected #42 to SAS| #39 overall prospect
Aidan Tobiason (Temple → Syracuse)
Tounde Yessoufou (Baylor → St. John's) – Projected #30 to DAL | #33 overall prospect

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