Ranking top 22 stay-or-go NCAA decisions from 2026 NBA Draft Combine

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Ranking top 22 stay-or-go NCAA decisions from 2026 NBA Draft Combine

Bryan Kalbrosky, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Thu, May 14, 2026 ·

11 min read

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One of the most interesting storylines of the 2026 NBA Draft is not the players in the class but those who decided to return to college.

This year, only 71 players declared as early entry candidates to turn pro. Among that list, 42 received invitations to participate in the NBA draft combine in Chicago . All of these prospects who were early entry candidates are currently receiving feedback from evaluators on whether or not they should turn pro or return to the NCAA.

Obvious early entry candidates projected within the top 20, including NBA draft combine breakout star Cameron Carr, were not included in this list.

Other early entry candidates not currently projected inside the top 20 but who said before the combine that they plan to turn pro, including Chris Cenac Jr. and Tounde Yessoufou , were also not included.

German-born guard Jack Kayil, who committed to Gonzaga, was not at the 2026 NBA Combine because he is playing overseas in Serbia. However, per Jonathan Givony, he will stay in the draft rather than play in the NCAA.

Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke) are among those who were widely considered potential first-round picks but opted to not enter the pre-draft process. Others, including Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Alex Condon (Florida), Joseph Tugler (Houston) and David Mirković (Illinois), made the same decision.

Players can remain as early entry draft candidates through 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 if they want to maintain their collegiate eligibility or they can decide to join the players above who opted to return to college.

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Top 22 NBA draft decisions from 2026 combine

Note: The following list is sorted by our internal consensus rankings based on trusted mock drafts and big boards. These rankings are likely to change significantly after the conclusion of the NBA Draft Combine.

1. Dailyn Swain

CONSENSUS RANK:19
TEAM:Texas
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Ohio
HEIGHT:6'6.5"
WINGSPAN:6'10" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:20"

Swain told reporters he is " two feet in " about turning pro and decided to withdraw from the second day of pre-draft scrimmages. ( via Jeff Borzello )

2. Morez Johnson Jr.

CONSENSUS RANK:20
TEAM:Michigan
POSITION:Big
BORN:Illinois
HEIGHT:6'9"
WINGSPAN:7'3.5" (+7)
DRAFT AGE:20

"To be honest, I haven't even talked to my agents about that," the NCAA champion told Andy Katz . "I've just been focused on this, right here, the combine, the task at hand, and performing my best and showing everybody what I can do and then I'll talk to them and see what they're saying. They'll give me their best advice and that's what I hired my agents for, so I'm going to trust them."

"I have to talk to my agents and … see what type of feedback they've been getting," Johnson said, via ESPN . "Dusty [May] has been very supportive. He's not pressuring me to come back at all. He wants me to attack this thing with two feet in until otherwise."

3. Christian Anderson Jr.

CONSENSUS RANK:21
TEAM:Texas Tech
POSITION:Guard
BORN:Georgia
HEIGHT:6'1
WINGSPAN:6'6.25" (+5)
DRAFT AGE:20

The star Texas Tech guard said he's "100% invested in [the draft]" but, per Kevin Sweeney , reportedly "didn't completely shut down the chance" to go back to school.

4. Koa Peat

Koa Peat participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:23
TEAM:Arizona
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Arizona
HEIGHT:6'7"
WINGSPAN:6'11.25" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:19

Peat told reporters he is " fully focused on the NBA draft " but according to SI.com, "speculation" abut a return to Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd has "increased" recently.

"Tommy has supported me with whatever I do," Peat said, via CBS Sports .

5. Allen Graves

Allen Graves participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:24
TEAM:Santa Clara → Transfer Portal
POSITION:Forward
BORN:Louisiana
HEIGHT:6'7.75"
WINGSPAN:7'0" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:20

"Obviously with NIL, there's still some decisions to make, but definitely at this point, I want to be in the NBA this year," Graves said, via SI.com .

If he returns to college, he is most seriously considering LSU and Duke and added that Kentucky also reached out to his agents.

6. Ebuka Okorie

CONSENSUS RANK:25
TEAM:Stanford
POSITION:Guard
BORN:New Hampshire
HEIGHT:6'1.25"
WINGSPAN:6'7.75" (+7)
DRAFT AGE:19

"I already talked with [Stanford coach] Kyle Smith and I talked to my agents and my family," Okoro said, via Jeff Borzello . "I'm staying in the draft."

He added to CBS Sports that there is " no chance " of him returning to college next season.

7. Isaiah Evans

CONSENSUS RANK:26
TEAM:Duke
POSITION:Wing
BORN:North Carolina
HEIGHT:6'5.5"
WINGSPAN:6'8.75" (+3)
DRAFT AGE:20

"I'm fully in," Evans told reporters, via Jeff Borzello , adding he has had no conversations with Duke about a return.

8. Amari Allen

CONSENSUS RANK:27
TEAM:Alabama
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Wisconsin
HEIGHT:6'5.25"
WINGSPAN:6'8" (+3)
DRAFT AGE:20

"Obviously first round," Allen said, per Isaac Trotter . "If it was second round, I would go back to school. I definitely feel I can go back to college and be a 20 and 10 guy. Ultimately, though, I want to go to the NBA."

But according to Kevin Sweeney , Alabama told him he would "have the ball in his hands a lot" next season.

"That's a key factor," Allen told SI.com . "It's hard to turn that down. We're going to be a top team in the country, so just being able to be the head of the snake, run offense for a top team in the country … it's definitely something I have to [consider]."

9. Henri Veesaar

Henri Veesaar participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:28
TEAM:North Carolina
POSITION:Forward
BORN:Estonia
HEIGHT:6'11.25"
WINGSPAN:7'2" (+3)
DRAFT AGE:22

"I'm all-in on staying the draft," Veesaar said, via Jeff Borzello . "It's 100% my decision to stay. I think it's the right decision, basketball-wise."

10. Meleek Thomas

CONSENSUS RANK:29
TEAM:Arkansas
POSITION:Guard
BORN:Pennsylvania
HEIGHT:6'3"
WINGSPAN:6'6.75" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:19

"I'm just going to say TBD when it comes to that," Thomas said, via CBS Sports . "I'm enjoying everything I'm going through right now. The process has been treating me great. Decisions that I will have to talk about on deadline day, then that's a different talk for a different day."

11. Tyler Tanner

Tyler Tanner participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:31
TEAM:Vanderbilt
POSITION:Guard
BORN:Tennessee
HEIGHT:5'10.75"
WINGSPAN:6'4.25" (+6)
DRAFT AGE:20

"Right now, I'm just pushing for the NBA. Me, my agent, my family, we'll have a conversation closer to the deadline, Tanner said, via Jeff Borzello . "But right now, we're really not worried about college. Vanderbilt's a great spot, but my dream is to play in the NBA."

According to Rob Dauster, this decision is the " biggest " among all players on the list.

12. Luigi Suigo

CONSENSUS RANK:35
TEAM:International → NCAA target
POSITION:Big
BORN:Italy
HEIGHT:7'2.75"
WINGSPAN:7'5.5" (+3)
DRAFT AGE:19

The Italian big man told reporters his draft range to stay in the pre-draft process is " probably top 20 " with Villanova and BYU mentioned as potential destinations.

13. Milan Momcilovic

CONSENSUS RANK:36
TEAM: Iowa St. → Transfer Portal
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Wisconsin
HEIGHT:6'8"
WINGSPAN:6'9.25" (+1)
DRAFT AGE:21

"If I can get [drafted in] the first round, late first round, I'm going to stay [in the draft]," Momcilovic said, via SI.com . "A second-round team that can guarantee me a good contract, I'd probably stay [in the draft]."

Some teams potentially in the mix should he decide to return to college include Louisville, Kentucky, UCLA and St. John's.

14. Rueben Chinyelu

Rueben Chinyelu participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:39
TEAM:Florida
POSITION:Big
BORN:Nigeria
HEIGHT:6'9.25"
WINGSPAN:7'7.5" (+10)
DRAFT AGE:22

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

Isaac Trotter wrote : "Florida big man Rueben Chinyelu was non-committal on his stay-or-go move. Florida's retention of Tommy Haugh and Alex Condon is a factor, though."

15. Flory Bidunga

CONSENSUS RANK:42
TEAM:Kansas → Louisville
POSITION:Big
BORN:DR Congo
HEIGHT:6'7.75"
WINGSPAN:7'3.25 (+8)
DRAFT AGE:21

The former Kansas big man transferred to Louisville and seems excited about the decision.

"They're putting together a superteam," Bidunga told CBS Sports .

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

16. Malachi Moreno

CONSENSUS RANK:43
TEAM:Kentucky
POSITION:Big
BORN:Kentucky
HEIGHT:6'11.25"
WINGSPAN:7'1.5" (+2)
DRAFT AGE:19

Kentucky big man Malachi Moreno originally committed to participate in five-on-five scrimmages but ultimately changed his mind.

"After talks with my brother and my agent, they said they thought I was in a good spot," Moreno said, via CBS Sports . "Got Pro Day coming up after this in L.A., and they wanted me to be full-strength for that. Then I got a couple more workouts set up after that."

"This is my dream to be in the NBA, so I'm trying to put my best foot forward," Moreno added. "I'll have a lot of talks with my brother because he's probably going to be the biggest factor in the decision. Talks with family, talks with inner circle, and then see what's the best decision for me."

17. Billy Richmond III

CONSENSUS RANK:44
TEAM:Arkansas
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Tennessee
HEIGHT:6'5.75"
WINGSPAN:6'8" (+2)
DRAFT AGE:20

"I just have to come to a clear mind and have talks with my family and go from there," Richmond said, via CBS Sports . "This process has been surreal. Teams really like me."

18. Matthew Able

Matthew Able participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena.

CONSENSUS RANK:57
TEAM:N.C. State → UNC
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Maryland
HEIGHT:6'3.75"
WINGSPAN:6'8.25""(+5)
DRAFT AGE:19

"It's definitely a tough decision. I love UNC, I'm excited to get over there at some point," Able said, via Jeff Borzello . "I'm still back and forth on it. I gotta think about it some more, get with my camp and figure it out."

"A promise would be nice, but that's not just it, because things definitely change," Able added, per SI.com . "Not just one team, but several teams … having that reassurance [would be] big time."

19. Andrej Stojakovic

CONSENSUS RANK:58
TEAM:Illinois
POSITION:Wing
BORN:California
HEIGHT:6'5.5"
WINGSPAN:6'8.25" (+3)
DRAFT AGE:21

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

"Making it to the NBA has been a dream of mine since I was young," Stojakovic said, via 247 Sports . "Doing this for myself and committing to it until I'm not anymore is something I've been approaching constantly. Just looking forward to the feedback I'll get moving forward."

20. Jeremy Fears Jr.

CONSENSUS RANK:65
TEAM:Michigan St.
POSITION:Guard
BORN:Illinois
HEIGHT:6'0"
WINGSPAN:6'4" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:21

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

"If I'm able to get some good feedback, I believe I'm a first-round talent," Fears Jr. told Andy Katz . There are a lot of players in the first round I played against or probably have seen throughout college but that's a big thing if I could get a first round spot. I would love and my dream is to play professional in the NBA. So that's for sure a big dream and if not then go back to college and try to work my way up and get that."

ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote that Fears " will likely be better off financially " going back to school.

21. John Blackwell

CONSENSUS RANK:79
TEAM:Wisconsin → Duke
POSITION:Wing
BORN:Michigan
HEIGHT:6'3.25"
WINGSPAN:6'2.25" (-1)
DRAFT AGE:21

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college. He was spotted wearing Duke gear during the NBA draft combine media availability with reporters.

"Duke is, I think, the biggest brand in the country for if we're talking about basketball. For college basketball, they're the biggest brand in the country. They're playing on national television every single night. So I've been ready for it," Blackwell said, via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . "And I'm excited, if I go back to school and play, playing those games."

22. Jacob Cofie

CONSENSUS RANK:118
TEAM:USC
POSITION:Forward
BORN:Washington
HEIGHT:6'8.5"
WINGSPAN:7'0" (+4)
DRAFT AGE:20

According to SI.com , he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stay in NBA draft or return to NCAA: Players with biggest decisions

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