The NBA announced that two Gonzaga commits, incoming sophomore guard/wing Isiah Harwell, along with 2026 combo guard Jack Kayil, will be testing the 2026 NBA Draft waters as early entry players.
The 2026 NBA Combine will run from May 10-17 at the Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois. The deadline for college players like Harwell to withdraw their names is May 27. For international players, like Kayil, it’s June 13.
The 6-6, 220-pound native of Pocatello, Idaho, dealt with a lingering knee injury during the 2025-26 season. Harwell saw only 13.8 minutes per 32 appearances for coach Kelvin Sampson. He averaged a mere 3.6 points per game on a shooting split of 27.9 field goal percentage, 27.1 three-point percentage, and 61.3 free throw percentage.
The 6-3, 10-5-pound native of Berlin, Germany, is averaging 11.7 points on a shooting split of 38.3 field goal percentage/29.9 three-point percentage/77.5 free throw percentage, 3.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game in German Basketball Bundesliga competition. Kayil also represented his country in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in March.
In total, 71 underclassmen and international players have filed as early entry candidates. That’s down from last year’s 106 and the lowest total since 2003. More athletes are electing to stay in college basketball during the Name, Image, and Likeness or NIL era, starting back in 2021.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
