Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu Withdrawing From Draft
After testing the NBA draft waters this spring, big man Rueben Chinyelu is returning to Florida for his senior season, the Gators announced today (Twitter link).
Chinyelu, who won a national championship as a sophomore in 2024/25, averaged a double-double as a junior, scoring 10.9 points and grabbing 11.2 rebounds in just 24.5 minutes per game. The Nigerian 6’10” center won the Naismith and NABC Defensive Player of the Year awards and earned a spot on the All-SEC second team.
As ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote last week, Chinyelu performed well at the draft combine in Chicago, racking up 14 points and 15 rebounds in his second scrimmage on Thursday and registering impressive wingspan measurements. However, he still wasn’t viewed as a probable first-round pick, coming in at No. 50 on ESPN’s big board at No. 48 in Jeremy Woo’s most recent mock draft.
Chinyelu is the latest notable prospect to announce that he’ll be returning to the Gators for the 2026/27 season, joining frontcourt teammates Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon. Florida will likely enter the fall as the top-ranked team in the nation, Borzello notes (via Twitter).
NCAA early entrants who are testing the draft waters have until the end of the day on May 27 (next Wednesday) to withdraw their names if they want to retain their college eligibility. The NBA’s own withdrawal deadline, which is the key date for international prospects, is June 13. The full list of early entrants can be found right here.
And-Ones: Cofie, Awards, Draft Assets, Cuban
After testing the draft waters this spring as an early entrant, USC sophomore Jacob Cofie has decided to withdraw his name and return to the Trojans for his junior year, agent Aman Dhesi tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).
A 6’10” power forward, Cofie performed well during the pre-draft process, standing out during the G League combine earlier this month and earning an invitation to the full-fledged combine as a result. However, he was always considered a long shot to be drafted, ranking 99th on ESPN’s big board.
As Givony notes, Cofie will be hoping the momentum from his strong combine showings carries over to the 2026/27 season. As a sophomore in ’25/26, he averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game across 32 outings (all starts) for USC. The 20-year-old made just 51.0% of his shots from the floor, but just 31.8% of his three-pointers and 60.5% of his free throws.
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA will resume announcing its 2025/26 award winners beginning on Wednesday evening, the league confirmed today (Twitter link). The All-Rookie teams will be revealed during Peacock’s pregame show tonight, with the All-Defensive teams (Friday), All-NBA teams (Sunday), and Coach of the Year (next Tuesday) to follow in the coming days.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks places the NBA’s 30 teams into seven tiers based on the current and future draft assets they control, with the Nets, Hornets, Grizzlies, Thunder, Spurs, Jazz, and Wizards making up his top group. The Nuggets are on their own in tier seven, since they’re the only team without the ability to trade a future first-rounder (they can technically move this year’s No. 26 pick after making a selection).
- Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban has no plans to invest in an NBA Europe team, as Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports details. Referring to the prospect of launching a basketball club tied to an established soccer brand as a potential “hornet’s nest,” Cuban said the NBA’s reported buy-in price ($500MM to $1 billion) is more than he can justify spending. “I can buy a team in a smaller league, win that country’s league and work my way up,” he said.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. Staying In NBA Draft
After helping Michigan win the NCAA title last month, sophomore big man Morez Johnson Jr. will keep his name in the 2026 NBA draft, his agents at CAA Basketball tell Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
“I am excited to chase my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA,” Johnson said. “Every stop along my journey has prepared me for this moment, and I’m extremely grateful.”
As Borzello writes, Johnson has been rising up NBA draft boards after last week’s combine, where he measured 6’9″ and 251 pounds, with a 7’3.5″ wingspan and an 8’11” standing reach. He also performed well in shooting drills, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, who has the 20-year-old going 17th overall in his latest mock draft.
For what it’s worth, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports also has the Thunder selecting Johnson 17th overall, though he writes that there’s been a lot of speculation about Oklahoma City potentially looking to trade the pick for future selections. Johnson is considered a strong, versatile defender, per O’Connor.
Johnson, an Illinois native, spent his freshman season with the Illini but wasn’t a major factor in the team’s offense. He averaged 7.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game across 30 appearances in 2024/25.
The forward/center was more productive offensively for the Wolverines in ’25/26, averaging 13.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.1 BPG in 25.6 MPG. He appeared in all 40 games for Michigan while showing drastic improvement at the free throw line (61.8% as a freshman vs. 78.2% as a sophomore).
Draft Rumors: Wizards, Jazz, Mara, Bucks, Nets, Kings, Suns
While AJ Dybantsa has emerged as the “presumptive favorite” to be selected No. 1 overall in next month’s draft and is the first player off the board in the latest mock draft from ESPN, Jeremy Woo reiterates that rival teams don’t view the BYU forward as a lock to be taken by the Wizards with the top pick.
As Woo writes, there’s a consensus top four in the 2026 draft, with Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson joining Dybantsa in that group. However, there isn’t a consensus No. 1. Peterson goes No. 2 to the Jazz in Woo’s mock, followed by Boozer at No. 3 (Grizzlies) and Wilson at No. 4 (Bulls).
Team sources tell Woo that Peterson “came across as quiet but serious” in interviews at last week’s combine and “handled that part of the process well.” Peterson faced questions about the cramping issues that plagued his freshman season at Kansas, Woo writes, and NBA clubs are still waiting for his medicals.
There was plenty of chatter about the Jazz potentially moving up to No. 1 at the combine, according to Woo, who says any talk on that front is speculative at this time. Like Sarah Todd of The Deseret News, Woo suggests the Jazz are far more likely to stay at No. 2 and take the best player available rather than trade up.
Here are some more rumors on the upcoming draft:
- Michigan center Aday Mara, one of the stars of the NCAA tournament as the Wolverines won their first championship since 1989, is selected by the Hawks with the eighth pick in Woo’s mock. Atlanta is expected to consider several guard prospects at that spot, but the Spanish big man is rising up draft boards and is considered a lock to be selected in the lottery, Woo reports.
- Milwaukee only controls the 10th pick in the 2026 draft, but rival teams tell Woo that the Bucks have been acting as though they’ll end up with multiple selections. As Woo notes, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week that the Bucks are listening to trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps citing a growing belief around the league that the two-time MVP will be moved before the draft.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports has also updated his mock draft, and although he has Brooklyn taking Illinois guard Keaton Wagler at No. 6, he hears from league sources that the Nets have been connected to Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament. Woo has also heard the Nets aren’t considered a lock to take a guard, and suggests Brooklyn will consider moving up or down in the draft. For what’s worth, Woo and O’Connor both have Ament going 10th overall to the Bucks.
- The Kings, who control the seventh pick, are “widely believed” to be targeting Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, according to ESPN and Yahoo Sports. As O’Connor writes, there are several connections between Acuff and Sacramento’s front office, plus the Kings need a point guard.
- Phoenix currently only has one pick (47th overall), but league sources tell O’Connor the Suns will explore the possibility of acquiring a first-round selection.
Jazz Considered ‘Unlikely’ To Trade Up From No. 2 To No. 1
The Jazz, who hold the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft, have reportedly reached out to the Wizards about the possibility of acquiring the No. 1 overall selection. However, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News hears a deal involving those two picks is improbable.
“Countless people” broached the topic to Todd after the draft lottery, but she was unable to nail down where the speculation was coming from beyond the team’s connections to BYU, where AJ Dybantsa played his freshman college season. Owner Ryan Smith, CEO Danny Ainge, and president of basketball operations Austin Ainge are all BYU alums.
Either way, Utah is “highly unlikely” to trade the second pick, according to Todd, citing conversations with league executives and members of the Jazz.
That doesn’t mean the Jazz won’t — or haven’t already — talk to Washington about potentially moving up, Todd writes. Utah will also listen to calls regarding the possibility of moving down. But Todd suggests those conversations are just the Jazz performing their due diligence, rather than a sign of a trade being imminent.
As Todd observes, there’s no consensus No. 1 pick in this draft, and whomever is available at No. 2 is widely considered to be a franchise-changing type of talent. Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson are regarded as the top two prospects, though some teams are very high on Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as well.
Boozer’s father — former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer — is currently a scout with the Jazz, but that won’t have any impact on their draft process, Todd adds. Just like many other teams around the league, Utah is focused on taking the best player available, with college or family ties essentially irrelevant compared to the “talent and belief” in the prospects.
Nets Draft Notes: Brown, Acuff, Burries, Flemings, Wagler
After finishing with the third-worst record in the NBA in 2025/26, Brooklyn fell in the draft lottery for the second straight year, dropping from No. 3 to No. 6. Assuming they don’t trade up to select a consensus top-four prospect, the Nets will likely be left choosing between a talented group of freshman guards, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News.
Of the five-player group, which features Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries and Keaton Wagler, Holmes believes Brown could be the “cleanest all-around fit” for the Nets based on his his measurements, athletic testing, and results in shooting drills at the draft combine.
As Holmes notes, Brown had both the top standing reach (8’4.5″) and longest wingspan (6’7.5″) of the group and is an explosive athlete too. The Nets’ front office has long prioritized “size and versatility,” which Brown could provide as a guard who can play both on and off the ball.
Still, all the players bring their own strengths to the table, Holmes writes. Acuff was the most polished offensive player in college; Flemings tested like the best all-around athlete; Burries is a little bigger/stronger and was a two-way contributor at Arizona; and Wagler is the tallest of the group and led Illinois to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
Here’s more on the Nets’ guard options at No. 6:
- In a similar story for The New York Post (subscriber link), Brian Lewis shares his combine takeaways for Acuff, Brown, Flemings and Wagler. Acuff was one of the “big winners” in the early portion of the event, according to Lewis, as he came in bigger than expected (6’2″ with a 6’7″ wingspan) while being one of the top performers in shooting drills.
- Asked at the combine what role he envisions for himself in the NBA, Acuff didn’t hesitate. “Definitely a superstar point guard for sure,” Acuff said, according to Lewis. “Bring a lot of excitement to any city I go to, and just bring a lot of excitement straight from day one.” When asked how he defined a “superstar point guard,” the Arkansas guard replied, “A lot of accolades, just being on a winning team, it starts with the point guard. So any city I go to, I just want to win.” Lewis hears the Kings, who control the seventh pick, are fans of Acuff — general manager Scott Perry coached Acuff’s father (Darius Sr.) at Eastern Kentucky. As productive as he was offensively — and he had an incredible year statistically — there are major questions about Acuff’s “porous defense,” Lewis adds.
- As Lewis details in another article (subscription required), Brown may have the most upside of the five guards but he also might be the least polished. “It would be a great opportunity right there,” Brown said of potentially being drafted by the Nets. “Just continuing to build relationships with them as the time goes on and continue to talk to my family and my circle and my agent and the people behind me. It’s something that we’re definitely interested in, and looking forward to building a relationship with [the Nets].” Brown, who said he thinks play-making is his top skill, acknowledged some teams have questions about his shot selection and defensive effort, but he believes he “could be a really good two-way player in this league.” Both Acuff and Brown confirmed to the Post that they’ve talked to Brooklyn.
Eastern Notes: Wizards, Brown, Celtics, Pacers
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the past three seasons, but team owner Ted Leonsis has no regrets about pivoting to a full roster tear-down – or, as he calls it, a “deconstruction” – after several years mired in mediocrity, he tells Barry Svrluga of The Athletic. Leonsis indicated that he’s happy with the job team president Michael Winger has done to position the Wizards for a more promising future.
“(Winger) said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,'” Leonsis said. “And I said, ‘I totally understand. I’ve been through the deconstructing stage with the (NHL’s Washington Capitals). I lived through it the first time with the Wizards. I’m prepared. … I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct.’ And they executed it very, very well.”
Of course, the Wizards’ future looks much more positive after the May 10 draft lottery than it did before it — armed with the No. 1 overall pick in a loaded 2026 draft, Washington is in position to add a long-term franchise cornerstone to its young core. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Wizards will become a contender overnight. Leonsis told Svrluga that he considers the rebuild to be “just starting” rather than ending.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on.” the Wizards’ owner said, before pausing and adding, “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- So what exactly should the Wizards do with that first overall pick? One rival front office official told Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic that figuring that out is a “great (expletive) problem to have.” Of the 13 executives and scouts who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge, seven said they’d take AJ Dybantsa, two expressed a preference for Darryn Peterson, one said he’d want Cameron Boozer, and three didn’t commit to a specific prospect.
- While Jaylen Brown will technically be eligible for a contract extension as of July 26, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes that the Celtics will likely feel no sense of urgency to get a new deal done at this point, given that there are still three years left on Brown’s current super-max contract. Robb doesn’t expect a Brown extension to be among Brad Stevens‘ offseason priorities.
- Observing that the Celtics want to get more athletic and add another ball-handler this summer, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) explores whether the club might be able to address either of those needs with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Duke forward Isaiah Evans, and Texas wing Dailyn Swain are among the prospects Washburn considers as possible targets for Boston.
- After losing their first-round pick on lottery night, what’s next for the Pacers this summer? Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) attempts to answer that question, noting that the team may want to add another wing with size. Dopirak examines which trade and free agent targets might be realistic for Indiana and weighs whether it would make sense for the club to trade back into the draft, likely in the second round.
Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Ejiofor, Momcilovic, Updated Mock
Among the ways AJ Dybantsa stands out from the rest of his draft class is his openness about wanting to be the No. 1 pick, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Todd notes that Dybantsa’s bravado was among his characteristics that were on display during this week’s draft combine in Chicago.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine,” Dybantsa said of being the first name off the board. “I’ve been number one in the ranking since what, ninth grade? And I ain’t dropped. So, I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
Todd adds that the ultra-confidence can be interpreted in various ways by different team executives. While some may be concerned about drafting a diva, there’s an understanding that most highly successful professional athletes have a certain level of ego. Dybantsa’s stated desire to become a “Hall of Famer” should appeal to decision makers who are looking for someone to carry their franchise.
Although Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go to Washington with the top pick, he met with several other teams at the combine as well as the Wizards, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). Dybantsa also had sessions with the Jazz, Bulls, Kings, Nets, Hawks, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Clippers.
There’s more on the draft:
- St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor raised his draft stock at the combine with a strong shooting performance, states Brian Lewis of The New York Post. During the shooting drills, Ejiofor connected at 17-of-30 off the dribble and 12-of-25 in the three-point star drill. He went 16-of-28 in a side-middle-side drill and 13-of-25 on spot-up shots. “I feel like it’s something I could’ve shown a little bit more in college,” he said. “And then I had the opportunity to just come out here and just prove, not only to myself, but to everybody around that I could do it. And I had decent numbers. And I was pretty proud of it.” Ejiofor’s agent believes he’ll be selected somewhere between 25th and 35th, Lewis adds.
- Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic is still focused on the draft, but he’ll be the top player in the transfer portal if he decides to pull out, per Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. An NBA source tells Zagoria that Momcilovic is likely to earn more than $5MM in NIL money if he stays in college. Momcilovic recently told Ben Roberts of The Lexington Herald Leader that he sees Kentucky as “a good fit.”
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft in the wake of the combine with Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as the top four. Wasserman reports that “the needle didn’t move in either direction” for Peterson at the combine, while Boozer left the event with no new concerns regarding his size or athleticism.
Elliot Cadeau Withdrawing From Draft, Returning To Michigan
Junior guard Elliot Cadeau is withdrawing from the 2026 NBA draft and returning to Michigan for his senior season, agent Drew Gross tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
A 6’1″ point guard, Cadeau tested the draft waters this spring after he helped lead the Wolverines to the NCAA championship in early April. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team and took home Most Outstanding Player honors as well after averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 38.7% from long distance in six games during the tournament.
Cadeau, who played his first two college seasons at UNC prior to transferring to Michigan, appeared in all 40 of the Wolverines’ games in 2025/26. He averaged 10.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, 2.7 RPG and 0.9 SPG in 27.3 MPG, with a shooting line of .411/.376/.709.
A New Jersey native, Cadeau was invited to attend the G League combine earlier this month and reportedly worked out for the Knicks on May 5. His decision to withdraw doesn’t come as a surprise, as he wasn’t on ESPN’s latest big board of the top 100 prospects in the class of 2026.
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Dunleavy, Lottery Pick, Roster
Steve Kerr wasn’t happy with the job he did as head coach of the Warriors last season, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.com. Kerr spoke to the media on Friday for the first time since he decided to return to the organization on a new two-year contract.
“I know I have to be better,” Kerr said. “I didn’t have a great coaching year.”
Still, Kerr made it clear he was excited to be back in role he’s held for the past 12 years, according to Josh Dubow of The Associated Press.
“I still love what I do,” Kerr said Friday. “If I were tired and burned out, then I would not be doing this. But I love my job, I love coaching the Warriors, being in this city, being in the Bay.”
Mike Dunleavy Jr. also took questions on Friday, calling Golden State’s 2025/26 season “pretty underwhelming” after the team went just 37-45 and missed the playoffs, Slater writes. Both Dunleavy and Kerr highlighted cutting down on turnovers as a key improvement area for next season.
“We got a little too loose,” Kerr said. “Literally loose with the ball. But because of our age, because of our injuries, we spent a lot of time resting. So I’ve got to tighten the ship up next year.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Dunleavy said the Warriors will consider every option at their disposal with the 11th overall pick in June’s draft, but barring an unexpected blockbuster trade, Slater hears from team sources that Golden State would prefer to add a young player with that selection to bolster an aging roster. Slater’s colleague Marc J. Spears reported similarly this week on NBA Today (Twitter video link). “Totally,” Kerr said when asked if he’d be committed to playing a rookie. “I’ve talked to Mike. I don’t know the draft, but he feels really strongly we’re going to get a good player. It could be a 19-year-old and it could be someone older. … That guy has to play. He’s got to earn it. But we’re committed to the development of our young players.”
- Kerr discussed why he decided to return as coach and what led to the decision, citing a conversation with his wife Margot as playing a critical role. He also talked about his conversations with Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob regarding the state of the roster and the desire to be competitive while acknowledging the current team isn’t capable of competing for championships. “The idea is let’s see how good we can be next year,” Kerr said, per Dubow. “We think we can still be good. We have to get some guys back from injury. We have to make some moves. I have to do some things. Let’s run it back and see how good we can be. I think we’re all excited about that.”
- Although Kerr suggested the roster needed some tweaks, particularly adding “younger legs” and players who can suit up for both ends of back-to-backs, Dunleavy didn’t sound as though he plans to make major changes this summer, according to Slater. “This isn’t about the roster frankly,” Dunleavy said. “This year, I don’t think we came up short because of the talent on the roster. It was injuries and things we can control. Do we need to get better roster-wise? I think so. But we didn’t get to a point where we played a team that the roster was better than ours.”