NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
It’s decision time for many of college basketball’s biggest stars.
The deadline for early entrants to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft and retain NCAA eligibility is May 27 at 11:59 PM ET, giving those prospects who are “testing the waters” a 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 the NBA Combine will help shape some of the biggest picks of the offseason.
This year, 71 underclassmen entered the draft, 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 of college basketball, where NIL opportunities have made returning to school a far more viable option.
With that, here are the 10 undrafted players whose selections will have the biggest impact on the 2026–27 men’s college basketball season.
Status: Okorie intends to stay at Stanford if he does not remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Okorie was one of the top pure scorers in college basketball this past season, leading the ACC with 23.2 points per game. match as a novice. If he returns to college, he will 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 haven’t added any players and have only lost one key contributor. If Okorie returns, they would pretty much ride 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 2025-26 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 very much 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 responsibilities.
Status: Thomas would return to Arkansas if he doesn’t stay in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Thomas is a first-round NBA talent who averaged 15.6 points per game. game as a freshman, although he was often seen as secondary to Darius Acuff Jr. in Arkansas’ offense. If he returns, he would likely step into a featured role for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas adds freshmen Abdou Toure and Jordan Smith to the backcourt, but lost both DJ Wagner and Acuff, placing Thomas as the top option with a young supporting cast around him. That trio could provide a smooth transition as the Razorbacks look to build on their 2026 Sweet 16 run.
Status: Tanner would return to Vanderbilt if he does not 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. 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 Nebraska in heartbreaking fashion when his half-court buzzer beater rattled out. His return would give Vanderbilt a strong backcourt, especially with the addition of Missouri transfer TIL 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 Duke for his senior year while also testing the NBA Draft waters.
If Blackwell returns to college and suits up for the Blue Devils, Duke will boast one of the most loaded backcourts in the country. Blackwell would likely start alongside Cayden Boozer, with Caleb Foster and freshman Deron Rippey Jr. provided depth off the bench.
Another year in college would give Blackwell the opportunity to further develop as an initiator, facilitator and defender, which could help improve his NBA stock. He would also aim to help Duke make a deep NCAA Tournament run following Wisconsin’s first-round exit in 2026.
Rueben Chinyelu of the Florida Gators drives into the paint against the Vanderbilt Commodores. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)
Status: Chinyelu would return to Florida if he does not remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Chinyelu’s return to Florida would significantly boost the Gators’ chances of making it back to the national championship after failing to advance past the first weekend in 2026. Florida already returns forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, but neither provides the same level of defensive presence that Chinyelu does.
For a Florida team that was ranked No. 1 in FOX Sports’ Casey Jacobsen’s Post-Portal Top 25, Chinyelu’s return would only bolster that projection.
Status: Johnson would return to Michigan if he does not remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Like Mara, Johnson would significantly increase Michigan’s chances of defending its national title in 2026. He was one of the most improved players in college basketball last season, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
If he returns and Mara stays in the draft, Johnson could step into a featured role in the front court. A rotation of Johnson, Thiam and Estrella would be as formidable as any in the country.
Status: Mara intends to return to Michigan for his senior season if he does not remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Mara’s return to Michigan would put the Wolverines firmly in the national title conversation. He boosted his NBA Draft stock with an outstanding run, leading Michigan to the 2026 national championship. As the most touted prospect in this group, a return to college would be surprising, but if he does return, Michigan would have an even deeper frontcourt than it had last season.
The Wolverines added Moustapha Thiam and JP Estrella through the transfer portal and could also welcome back Morez Johnson Jr. The ability to rotate these three along with Mara would give Michigan a potentially dominant interior presence.
Jeremy Fears Jr. from the Michigan State Spartans watches during the first half of a game against Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
Status: Fears intends to return to Michigan State for his redshirt junior season if he does not remain in the NBA Draft.
Impact: Fear’s decision could make or break Michigan State’s cap. This past season, Fears was the Spartans’ only true starter on offense. He is a reliable perimeter defender and in many ways an extension of head coach Tom Izzo on the floor. Fear averaged 15.2 points per game and led the nation with 9.4 assists, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Those aren’t easy numbers to replace, and Michigan State hasn’t added any guards through the transfer portal. If Fears remains in the NBA draft, it would leave a significant hole in the Spartans’ backcourt.
Status: Momcilovic entered the transfer portal and declared for the NBA Draft following his junior season at Iowa State.
Impact: Momcilovic can raise a team’s ceiling to the ceiling of a national title contender if he decides to return, as few players possess his unique skill set. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 16.9 points per game for the Cyclones in 2026 and led the nation in 3-point shooting at 48.8%.
Since many top programs have already allocated the bulk of their NIL budgets, the pool of teams that can realistically afford Momcilovic may be limited. But if he decides to return to college, whichever team he lands with will immediately become a legitimate threat entering the 2026-27 season.
