The call of the NBA is an ever-present threat for college basketball rosters. What can look like a stacked roster for next season could lose a surprising piece that undercuts a possible national championship contender.
With the advent of name, image and likeness (and the resultant influx of cash for top players), college hoops has fought back. Potential draftees, especially those late in the first round and into the second, now have to consider the NIL payday they would forgo should they choose to start their professional careers. They have until June 15 to withdraw their names from the draft pool.
That’s led to some surprising returners to college. A year ago, Walter Clayton Jr. chose to chase a national title rather than enter the pro ranks; that turned out well for Clayton and the Gators. Johni Broome also eschewed the draft and helped power Auburn to the Final Four. As chaotic and entertaining as the transfer portal is, keeping star-caliber pieces in college is vital to building a truly elite team.
The 2025 early-entry deadline already has some clear winners: Texas Tech managed to convince All-American JT Toppin to avoid testing the waters, and two-time national champion Alex Karaban is returning to UConn for a fourth season. The Red Raiders and the Huskies will likely find their way into many preseason top 10s in part due to this retention of potential draft picks.
Many other decisions that will drastically impact the 2026 national title picture still hang in the balance, though. Following the NBA’s release of the full list of early entrants, the players below all have significant choices that could push their schools to the forefront of the college basketball world.
Note: To illustrate the significance of each decision, we’ve included each team’s national ranking at BartTorvik.com with and without the player on the roster using Torvik’s Roster Cast tool, which allows you to alter teams’ roster constructions to see the impact of individual players.
1. Milos Uzan, Houston
Bart Torvik rank with Uzan: 1Bart Torvik rank without: 1 (incredibly)
Though most of the Houston headlines all season went to LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp and J’Wan Roberts, Uzan was the secret engine to a Cougars squad that came within a possession of a national championship. Taking over at point guard for program legend Jamal Shead, the Oklahoma transfer got off to a slow start, but his steady improvement — particularly as a potent offensive threat — mirrored the trajectory of Houston as a whole. Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson reiterated that point after Uzan’s game-winning layup against Purdue in the Sweet 16.
Milos Uzan averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 assists and shot 44.5 percent on 3-pointers last season. (Bob Donnan / Imagn Images)
With Uzan back in the fold to join Sharp, defensive player of the year candidate JoJo Tugler and a loaded recruiting class, Houston would be a no-doubt top-five team in preseason rankings (and very arguably the No. 1 squad). Without him, though, Houston would need a serious lift from incoming transfer Pop Isaacs, as Uzan’s shot creation — not to mention his smothering defensive presence on the perimeter — would be sorely missed. That would still be a top 10 or so team but with enough questions to perhaps fall below the top tier of contenders.
2. Otega Oweh, Kentucky
Torvik rank with Oweh: 11Torvik rank without: 16
Mark Pope’s first season in Lexington made it clear the Wildcats are firmly entrenched as contenders in the SEC. Kentucky’s spending in the transfer portal this offseason — basically a Los Angeles Dodgers-esque spree — has given Pope an extremely promising roster for his encore campaign.
To truly be a national championship contender, though, Pope needs Oweh to return for his senior season. The hyperathletic wing, who like Uzan began his career at Oklahoma (apologies to Sooners fans), ascended to stardom for Big Blue Nation. On a deep and balanced roster, Oweh’s athletic slashing and harassing defense became indispensable. He’d give Kentucky the All-American candidate needed to exist in the highest echelon of preseason prognostications.
3. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Torvik rank with Lendeborg: 4Torvik rank without: 20
Led by a dominant big man duo in Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin, Michigan made the Sweet 16 in Dusty May’s first season in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines tripled down on the frontcourt this offseason, reeling in three more gems via the portal: Lendeborg (UAB), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and Aday Mara (UCLA). That combination would terrorize opponents for 40 minutes at the rim and on the boards.
Whether the trio ever plays together, though, hinges on Lendeborg’s NBA Draft decision. The former junior college star is already an older prospect (he’ll be 23 in September), and he could choose to take his versatile, physical game to the pros. Michigan would still be in good shape without him as a chief contender to Purdue in the Big Ten, but having Lendeborg as a do-it-all double-double machine would raise the ceiling in Ann Arbor considerably.
4. Alex Condon, Florida
Torvik rank with Condon: 9Torvik rank without: 19
The Gators’ shocking run to the national title came in large part due to a supremely talented trio of shot makers on the perimeter. Clayton, Alijah Martin and Will Richard all had major moments of brilliance during their March run. But Florida’s deep and physical frontcourt was an overlooked aspect of its success.
Todd Golden could cycle body after body in the paint to bludgeon opponents and wear them down over 40 minutes, and Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, the Gators’ two starters, were crucial parts of that rotation. Chinyelu is also gauging NBA interest but is generally expected to return to school; however, the physical Australian Condon is much more of a true toss-up. He struggled in the NCAA Tournament after an ankle injury late in the season, so he could be best served to return to school and show off his talents once more while leading the Florida front line for what would be a top 10-15 team heading into the year.
5. Carter Bryant, Arizona
Torvik rank with Bryant: 4Torvik rank without: 15
Like Florida, Arizona has two players testing the draft waters, with Jaden Bradley joining Bryant in that endeavor. Bradley is strongly expected to return, though, while the uber-talented Bryant feels like a true coin flip. He came on strong as Arizona’s season progressed; he logged 20-plus minutes just once in Arizona’s first 10 games, but he cracked that mark in 16 of the final 18 contests. In doing so, he displayed the kind of versatility and floor-stretching game that will make pro scouts pay attention.
That seemed like just the beginning for the high-upside forward. He was frequently deferential to Arizona’s veterans on the offensive end, registering the lowest usage in the team’s rotation. Should he return, he’s an obvious breakout candidate with more touches and shots headed his way. If he’s back for that potential star turn, Arizona will be in the Big 12 and national mix, but if not, the Wildcats will be in the second tier of both.
6. Cedric Coward and Isaiah Evans, Duke
Torvik rank with Coward and Evans: 4Torvik rank without Coward, with Evans: 4Torvik rank without Evans, with Coward: 5Torvik rank without both: 7
Duke came within a monumental final-minute collapse against Houston of playing for a national title. Jon Scheyer has done a tremendous job of maintaining Duke’s status among the elite in college basketball, and although his 2025-26 team will not have Cooper Flagg on it, the Blue Devils have the talent to make a return trip to the Final Four.
Even with a killer freshman class, though, a large portion of the upside hinges on whether the nucleus will include Coward, a transfer from Washington State, and Evans, an incendiary scorer due for a major role increase as a sophomore. Both players offer enticing wing skill sets to the NBA, but both could maximize their draft position with a banner year in big roles for an elite team.
7. The ultimate wild cards: PJ Haggerty, Darrion Williams, Boogie Fland, Jamir Watkins
Every member of this foursome remains in the transfer portal as of this writing. Any member of this group could drastically alter the outlook of a team, pushing that squad toward the national title picture.
Haggerty, an All-American scoring guard at Memphis, is an instant cheat code to an efficient offense thanks to his devastating dribble moves, finishing ability inside and knack for getting to the charity stripe. At Texas Tech, Williams proved himself to be a quintessential do-it-all winner capable of serving as a mid-post hub on offense and multipositional force on defense. Fland showed off his scoring and passing genes at Arkansas as a rookie, and he could explode as a sophomore thanks to his prodigious talents. And finally, Watkins (Florida State’s leading scorer last season) is a matchup problem, a big wing/forward who could be an ace second banana for a great team. Keep an eye on whether any of this group chooses to return to college — and where they end up if they do.
(Top photos of Otega Oweh and Isaiah Evans: Andy Lyons, Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
