2026 NBA Draft stay-or-go decisions: Ebuka Okorie, Henri Veesaar among prospects who should turn pro
The deadline to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon. Players who entered their name as early entrants will have until May 27 at 11:59 pm to either stay in the draft or return to school for the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Could we get fireworks at the deadline like last year, when Alabama star Labaron Philon announced his return to school in the 11th hour after appearing to have two feet in on the draft? Time will tell. One name who won't be pulling that stunt is Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., who announced earlier this week that he's keeping his name in the draft process. Conversely, on Thursday, Rueben Chinyelu decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Florida, giving the Gators an even more loaded roster heading into next season.
2026 NBA Draft: Koa Peat and Milan Momcilovic headline 10 prospects who should return to college basketball
Cameron Salerno
During the past few weeks, several big names have announced their intention not to go through the draft process entirely and instead, return to school next season. The biggest names who already have their eye on next year's NBA Draft -- which projects to be a much weaker class than this year -- include Florida's Thomas Haugh, UConn's Braylon Mullins, Duke's Patrick Ngongba II, and Arizona's Motiejus Krivas.
As the withdrawal nears, all eyes are turning on who stays in the draft and who goes back to school. Here are the five players we think who should keep their name in the draft and why that is the best decision for them.
Morez Johnson Jr., MichiganCBS Sports NBA Draft Big Board ranking: 17
Johnson's decision isn't going to come down to the final week, as he already announced his intention to stay in the draft. It's the right decision. As much as Michigan probably hoped either Johnson or Aday Mara would return next season, they're projected to be first-round locks. It wouldn't be surprising if Johnson is a lottery pick on draft night after having a really good week at the NBA Draft Combine. Johnson is a versatile forward who exploits mismatches against smaller defenders on offense. On defense, he's capable of guarding out on the perimeter against smalls. That versatility would make him a great fit on any NBA roster. Two fits I really like for Johnson: Oklahoma City (at No. 12 or No. 17) or Detroit at pick No. 21.
2026 NBA Mock Draft: Adam Finkelstein's first post-combine mock features intel that shakes up late-round picks
Adam Finkelstein
CBS Sports NBA Draft Big Board ranking: 21
Anderson is coming off a breakout season at Texas Tech after averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds. When star forward JT Toppin went down with a season-ending ACL tear, Anderson stepped up. Anderson is one of the best 3-point shooters in the class. He connected on 41.5% on 7.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc. The guard position is the strength of this class, but Anderson has a pretty easy decision to make. Although I see him more as a late first-round pick, he should keep his name in the draft. Shooting translates, and he's arguably top-three in the class in that department.
Henri Veesaar, North CarolinaCBS Sports NBA Draft Big Board ranking: 23
When UNC hired Michael Malone, his top priority instantly became trying to convince Veesaar to come back for a second season Chapel Hill. That won't happen. Unless there is a last-minute change of heart, all signs indicate Veesaar stays in the draft and capitalizes on a strong offense season at UNC. He is making the right decision because bigs who can shoot will be coveted late in the first round. I see Veesaar going somewhere in the 20s on draft night. There is a place in the NBA for seven-footers who can shoot 42.6% from the 3-point line.
NBA Draft Combine: Predicting stay-or-go decisions for Milan Momcilovic, Malachi Moreno, other draft hopefuls
Isaac Trotter
CBS Sports NBA Draft Big Board ranking: 24
Okorie is one of my favorite players in this class. He is a little undersized at 6-foot-1.5, but registered a 6-foot-7.75 wingspan at the combine in Chicago. Keeping his name in the draft is absolutely the right decision. Okorie can straight-up score. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 23.2 points per game, which ranked eighth among all Division I players. Despite his size, he can get to and finish at the rim. Okorie shot 135 of 250 (54%) at the rim last season, which is excellent volume for a guard at the college level. I said this from the moment I did my first mock draft of the cycle: Okorie is a top 20 pick. One fit I really like for Okorie is No. 19 to the Toronto Raptors.
Allen Graves, Santa ClaraCBS Sports NBA Draft Big Board ranking: 30
Graves was an analytic darling this season at Santa Clara. He didn't post eye-popping numbers, but his advanced numbers told a different story. If Graves withdraws from the draft, he would instantly become arguably the best player available in the transfer portal. One school that would make sense for Graves (if he returns) is LSU. Still, with front offices leaning into analytics more than ever, I could see a team falling in love with Graves' advanced numbers. Graves' draft range is truly a mixed bag. I've seen some draft experts rank Graves as a top 10 prospect. I can't quite get there, but Graves would almost certainly be a late first-rounder if he keeps his name in. His stock may never be this high, which is one reason to stay in the draft.
cbssports
