2026 NBA Draft early entry tracker: Full list of declarations, withdrawals, returns

The 2026 NBA Draft received fewer early entry candidates than usual as more prospects opted to return to college basketball with lucrative NIL deals.

With only 71 candidates, it marked the lowest number in more than two decades. But not all received an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. For those who did, after meeting with scouts and team executives, players used that feedback to decide whether to remain in the draft or return to college.

Several players opted to return to college before the pre-draft process even began, a trend viewed as beneficial to both the NCAA and NBA.

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

While more than 25 early entry candidates are expected to remain in the class, others have yet to announce their decisions and several have already confirmed their return to college basketball.

Per NCAA rules, players have until 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, May 27 to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft and remain eligible to play college basketball.

Players who have completed their college eligibility are automatically eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft. Among them are Yaxel Lendeborg, Bennett Stirtz, Joshua Jefferson, Tarris Reed Jr., Zuby Ejiofor, Alex Karaban, Ryan Conwell and Braden Smith.

Early entry candidates who have yet to announce a decision

1. Koa Peat (Arizona)
2. Amari Allen (Alabama)
3. Meleek Thomas (Arkansas)
4. Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)
5. Tounde Yessoufou (Baylor → transfer portal)
6. Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State → transfer portal)
7. Billy Richmond III (Arkansas)
8. Andrej Stojakovic (Illinois)
9. Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State)

Early entry candidates expected to remain in 2026 NBA Draft

This list is based on consensus draft projection, reporting, and comments made at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine.

1. AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
2. Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
3. Cameron Boozer (Duke)
4. Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)
5. Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
6. Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
7. Kingston Flemings (Houston)
8. Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
9. Brayden Burries (Arizona)
10. Aday Mara (Michigan)
11. Nate Ament (Tennessee)
12. Labaron Philon (Alabama)
13. Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
14. Cameron Carr (Baylor)
15. Karim Lopez (International, Australia)
16. Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky)
17. Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan)
18. Dailyn Swain (Texas)
19. Christian Anderson (Texas Tech)
20. Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston)
21. Ebuka Okorie (Stanford)
22. Allen Graves (Santa Clara → transfer portal)
23. Isaiah Evans (Duke)
24. Henri Veesaar (North Carolina)
25. Jack Kayil (International → Gonzaga commit)

Early entry participants from NBA/G League Combine to return to NCAA

Note that Aidan Tobiason and Jacob Cofie were initially invited to the G League Combine and Cofie later received a call-up to the NBA Draft Combine.

1. Malachi Moreno (Kentucky)
2. Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
3. Flory Bidunga (Kansas → Louisville)
4. Matt Able (NC State → North Carolina)
5. Jacob Cofie (USC)
6. Aiden Tobiason (Temple → Syracuse)

Other early entry prospects (non-combine participants) returning to NCAA

Two asterisks denote a player who received but declined an NBA Combine invitation. One asterisk denotes a player who received but declined an invitation to the G League Combine.

1. Juke Harris** (Wake Forest → Tennessee)
2. Elliot Cadeau* (Michigan)
3. Isiah Harwell* (Houston → Gonzaga)
4. Alijah Arenas* (USC)
5. Anton Bonke (Charlotte → Michigan State)
6. Keanu Dawes (Utah → Kansas)
7. Sebastian Rancik (Colorado → Florida State)
8. Cruz Davis (Hofstra → Texas Tech)
9. Eian Elmer (Miami OH → Wisconsin)
10. Bryson Tucker (Washington)
11. Dennis Parker Jr. (Radford → Kansas)
12. Colby Garland (San Jose State → Georgia Tech)
13. Gabe Dynes (USC → Louisville)
14. Finley Bizjack (Butler → West Virginia)
15. Rowan Brumbaugh (Tulane → SMU)
16. Kennard Davis (BYU → Missouri)
17. LeJuan Watts (Texas Tech → Washington)
18. Shane Blakeney (Drexel → South Carolina)

Other remaining international early entry candidates

Among this group, Luigi Suigo and Sergio De Larrea received combine invitations, but only Suigo attended.

1. Luigi Suigo
2. Sergio De Larrea
3. Alex Samodurov
4. Vsevolod Ishchenko
5. Bassala Bagayoko
6. Pavle Bačko
7. Francesco Ferrari
8. Mohammad Amini

The withdrawal deadline for international early entry candidates is 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 13.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NBA Draft early entry tracker: Full list of prospects decisions