Its decision time for many of college basketballs biggest stars.
The deadline for early entrants to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft and retain NCAA eligibility is May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET, giving those prospects who are “testing the waters” one final window to return to school after going through the pre-draft process. In the weeks leading up to that deadline, events like the NBA Draft Lottery and NBA Combine will help shape some of the biggest choices of the offseason.
This year, 71 underclassmen declared for the draft, which is a notable drop from 106 a year ago, and part of a steady decline since 2021. The trend is a direct reflection of the new landscape in college basketball, where NIL opportunities have made returning to school a far more viable option.
With that, here are the 10 undecided players whose choices will have the biggest impact on the 2026â27 mens college basketball season.
Status: Okorie intends to stay at Stanford if he doesn’t remain in the NBA Draft.Â
Impact: Okorie was one of the best pure scorers in college basketball this past season, leading the ACC with 23.2 points per game as a freshman. If he returns to college, hell look to expand his game beyond scoring and help guide his team to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The transfer portal has been relatively quiet for Stanford. The Cardinal have not added any players and lost only one key contributor. If Okorie returns, they would largely be running it back after a 20-13 season that ended in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown.
Status: Graves entered the transfer portal and declared for the NBA Draft.
Impact: Graves is seen as a stronger NBA Draft prospect than his production might suggest during the 2025â26 college season. As a freshman at Santa Clara, he came off the bench and averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, but his shooting (41.3% from three) and size (6-foot-9) are highly covered at the next level.
If Graves returns to college, he would likely make the jump to a Power 4 program in search of a starting role and more on-ball responsibility.
Status: Thomas would return to Arkansas if he doesn’t stay in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Thomas is an NBA first-round talent who averaged 15.6 points per game as a freshman, though he was often viewed as secondary to Darius Acuff Jr. in Arkansas offense. If he returns, he would likely step into a featured role for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas is adding freshmen Abdou Toure and Jordan Smith to the backcourt but lost both D.J. Wagner and Acuff, positioning Thomas as the go-to option with a young supporting cast around him. That trio could make for a smooth transition as the Razorbacks look to build on their 2026 Sweet 16 run.
Status: Tanner would return to Vanderbilt if he doesn’t remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Tanner was one of the most improved players in college basketball last season, jumping from 5.7 points and 1.9 assists per game to 19.5 and 5.1, respectively, as a sophomore at Vanderbilt. If he returns for his junior year, he could emerge as one of the top guards in the SEC.
Tanner has yet to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, most recently falling to No. 4 seed Nebraska in heartbreaking fashion when his halfcourt buzzer-beater rattled out. His return would give Vanderbilt a strong backcourt, especially with the additions of Missouri transfer T.O. Barrett and Washington State transfer Ace Glass.
Status: Blackwell has committed to Duke, but could still remain in the NBA Draft
Impact: Blackwell was one of the top scoring guards in the country last season, averaging 19.1 points per game as a junior at Wisconsin. He has since committed to transfer to Duke for his senior year while also testing the NBA Draft waters.
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