Yang Hansen

Trail Blazers Announce Signings Of Hansen Yang, Caleb Love

The Trail Blazers have signed first-round pick Hansen Yang to a rookie scale contract and undrafted free agent Caleb Love to a two-way deal, the team announced in a pair of press releases.

Yang, 20, is a 7’1″ center who starred with the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association. He was selected as CBA Rising Star of the Year the past two seasons and Defensive Player of the Year in 2023/24. He has also been a CBA All-Star in both his years with Qingdao.

Like all first-round picks, Yang is eligible for up to 120% of the NBA’s rookie scale salary. Assuming he gets the full amount, he’ll make $4.4MM in his first season and $21.4MM over the four years of his contract.

Love played at Arizona, where he was named Pac 12 Player of the Year in 2024 and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 team this season. Love played three years at North Carolina before transferring, and the Blazers note that he’s the 13th player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 points with two schools.

Northwest Notes: Yang, Randle, Presti, Bailey

Hansen Yang had to watch the draft from the stands rather than the arena floor like other top prospects, but the Trail Blazers have no doubt that he’s worthy of being a first-round pick, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (subscriber link). American fans may not be familiar with Yang, but he’s a star in his native China, where he has drawn comparisons to Yao Ming and Nikola Jokic. Portland made him the focus of its draft plans and was able to land him while trading down five spots.

“I think that ‘Baby Joker’ or being compared to Yao, is a big honor,” Yang said. “I just try to learn from everyone, every good player and improve myself every day.”

Fentress points out that Yang has a valuable Blazers connection in teammate Duop Reath, who played for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2022/23, one year before Yang joined the team. Reath is one of several players Yang will compete with for minutes in Portland’s deep front court rotation, but coach Chauncey Billups expects him to be able to earn playing time.

“Learn our game, learn our system, offensively and defensively, learning the language,” Billups said. “There’s so much development that needs to happen. But I will feel very comfortable putting him in the game right now. He’s that good. To me, it’s not like a project-type situation. This guy’s ready to go. But he’s in a crowded room.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Timberwolves are trying to work out a long-term deal with Julius Randle as he nears today’s deadline to pick up his $30.9MM player option, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Hine notes that Randle flourished in his first season with Minnesota and there aren’t many teams that can generate enough cap space to make an aggressive offer.
  • Winning a title didn’t change Thunder general manager Sam Presti’s approach to the draft, per Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. Presti continued to emphasize character as he took Georgetown center Thomas Sorber at No. 15 and Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer at No. 44. “The one thing we’ve never really strayed from, and I don’t think we will, is the focus on drafting people and not players,” Presti said. “I think the characteristics of winning players, they multiply at a greater level than just talented players. They scale up better.”
  • Any fears that Ace Bailey might be reluctant to report to Utah ended Saturday when he arrived in Salt Lake City wearing a Jazz t-shirt, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune provides Bailey with a guide to the area and says he’ll be a favorite among Jazz fans if he lives up to his potential. The team scheduled a press conference on Sunday to formally introduce its rookies.

Northwest Notes: Bailey, Brown, Yang, Beringer

The Jazz weren’t on Ace Bailey‘s list of preferred destinations heading into Wednesday night’s draft, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bailey didn’t hold any pre-draft workouts as he was reportedly trying to manipulate the process to end up with a team that could offer him guaranteed playing time and a large role in the offense. The Wizards were believed to be interested at No. 6, but Utah selected him one pick earlier.

“We really like him as a player and a fit in our program,” president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said.

The selection ended a controversial pre-draft process for the talented Rutgers forward, who was viewed as a top-three pick when the college basketball season wrapped up. Bailey called off a scheduled visit to Philadelphia last week and was believed to be the only prominent U.S. player who didn’t visit any team before the draft. He said he had “no idea” the Jazz were interested in taking him.

“I feel like once I come in, it’s going to be a lot of work,” Bailey said. “I feel like I’m a person that likes to work out a lot. I’m going to push my teammates to be the best they can be. I want to come in and be a leader as a young cat.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • At a post-draft press conference, Ainge dismissed rumors that the Jazz have been involved in trade talks with the Celtics regarding Jaylen Brown, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. There are some obvious connections, as Ainge recently left Boston for Utah, and his father, Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, drafted Brown when he was running the Celtics. “I don’t like to confirm or deny rumors, just as a policy, but I will this time,” Austin Ainge told reporters (Twitter link). “No, that hasn’t happened. No conversations that way.”
  • Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin monitored Hansen Yang for nearly two years before selecting him with the 16th pick, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Cronin acknowledged the pick was “unconventional,” per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link), but views the 7’2″ center, who was the Chinese Basketball Association’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, as a project who’s worth investing in. “His ceiling is very high,” Cronin said. “It’s extremely difficult to find a young player of that stature with this skill set. And it’s translatable stuff that we’ve seen really, really skilled big men that can do all the things that he can do, typically succeed in our league. Yeah, it might take him a little time, but as he figures out the speed and pace of our game, I wouldn’t put a ceiling on him. He’s that talented.” Cronin added that the Blazers weren’t comfortable trading down farther than the 16th pick because they believed other teams were eyeing Yang as well.
  • Timberwolves general manger Matt Lloyd told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic that several team officials flew to Chicago over the weekend for a private workout with Joan Beringer. After talking to the French center and seeing him in action, the group was convinced that he was perfect for the franchise if he remained on the board at No. 17. “Joan is one of those rare cases where the best player available also had a fit,” Lloyd said. “And we were sweating it. … It was a long night of waiting.”

Trail Blazers Draft Hansen Yang 16th Overall

After trading down from No. 11 to No. 16, the Trail Blazers have used their first-round pick to select Chinese center Hansen Yang.

It’s a surprising pick for the Blazers, who are rolling the dice on the big man well above where he was ranked by most draft experts. ESPN had Yang at No. 35 on their last big board prior to the draft. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had him ranked No. 48 in his draft guide.

Yang has spent the past two seasons with Qingdao in the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 16.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.7 blocks and 0.9 steals in 53 games this past season.

Yang was named the CBA’s Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2024. He led the CBA in blocked shots last year and has some really intriguing skills for a big man. He showed great touch at the rim, shooting 59.5% from the floor.

We previously noted Yang made his mark at the NBA draft combine, standing out in scrimmages. The Blazers clearly came away impressed with the young big man, and add him to a center rotation that currently includes Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams and Deandre Ayton.

Yang attended the first round of the draft tonight despite not being invited to the green room.

Top International Prospects Staying In 2025 Draft

Several of the top international prospects among this year’s early entrants have decided to keep their names in this year’s draft pool.

Noa Essengue, Joan Beringer, Hugo Gonzalez, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Noah Penda, Hansen Yang, Alex Toohey, Bogoljub Markovic, Rocco Zikarsky, Izan Almansa, Saliou Niang, Mohamed Diawara, and Eli Ndiaye are all staying in the 2025 NBA draft, reports ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (via Twitter).

That player group represents 14 of the 15 international players who were ranked on ESPN’s top-100 prospect board coming into the day, with Essengue the highest-ranked prospect at No. 9, and Ndiaye the lowest at No. 97. The lone ranked prospect to withdraw from the draft today was Neoklis Avdalas, ranked No. 51.

While their withdrawals from the draft haven’t been officially confirmed, it sounds like Asim DjulovicLazar GacicMuodubem MuonekeOusmane N’Diaye, and Zaion Nebot also pulled out, since Givony refers to the above list as the “final tally” of international prospects in the draft.

[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]

Dink Pate, who played for the Mexico City Capitanes in the G League this past season, is also keeping his name in the draft pool, Givony notes. Pate is the No. 56 prospect on ESPN’s board.

With a bigger-than-usual amount of lower-ranked NCAA prospects returning to school thanks to NIL deals, the international class has a chance to gain ground with strong pre-draft showings. Essengue, in particular, has seen his draft stock rise following a strong playoff run for Ratiopharm Ulm.

Draft Notes: Trail Blazers, Mock, Coward, Nets, More

The Trail Blazers hosted a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six high-level prospects, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link).

Michigan State guard Jase Richardson (No. 14 on ESPN’s big board), Illinois wing Will Riley (No. 15), Georgia forward/center Asa Newell (No. 19), UConn wing Liam McNeeley (No. 21) and Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming (No. 28) are all potential first-round picks, while Chinese center Hansen Yang — a combine standout — is viewed as a possible second-rounder, coming in at No. 67 on ESPN’s list.

As Highkin notes, Portland currently controls one pick in June’s draft, No. 11 overall. The team’s previous workouts mainly focused on less heralded players, but some of today’s group could be in contention for the lottery selection.

Richardson, who says he emulates Mike Conley, is out to prove he can orchestrate an NBA offense.

There are a lot of questions about what position I can play at the next level,” Richardson said. “Playing at Michigan State, I was a two, because coach [Tom Izzo] wanted me to score. But I want to show teams I’m a point guard and I can facilitate.”

In addition to Portland’s front office and coaches, three players on the current roster — Scoot Henderson, Justin Minaya and Jabari Walker — also attended Thursday’s workout. According to Highkin, Newell thinks he’d fit in well with the Blazers.

They like to [push] the pace a lot with Scoot and [Donovan] Clingan,” Newell said. “He cleans up anything down low. I think I’d be a plug-and-play player.”

Here are a few more notes related to June’s draft:

  • Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft following Wednesday’s deadline for early entrants to withdraw in order to their NCAA eligibility. Wasserman, who has the Trail Blazers selecting Newell at No. 11, says Washington State forward Cedric Coward appears to be one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, with one scout comparing his rise to that of Jalen Williams, who went No. 12 overall in 2022. Coward goes No. 14 to San Antonio in Wasserman’s mock.
  • Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford was voted by four of his peers as the “most underrated” prospect in the 2025 class, according to ESPN, but he wound up withdrawing and returning to Auburn prior to yesterday’s deadline. Arizona forward Carter Bryant (three votes) and North Carolina guard/forward Drake Powell (two) also received multiple votes. “Carter Bryant is super underrated,” Newell told ESPN. “I just feel like his game translates to the NBA really well. He’s got the size, he’s got the touch, he’s got the 3-point ability. And seeing him, he can definitely be a versatile defender.”
  • The Nets held a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six prospects, including Colorado State wing Nique Clifford and Tennessee guards Chaz Lanier and Jahmai Mashack, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). According to Lewis, the Nets — who control a league-high five picks (all in the top 35) — also have an upcoming workout scheduled with Duke wing Kon Knueppel (Twitter link). Knueppell (No. 8 on ESPN’s board) and Clifford (No. 24) are projected first-round picks, while sharpshooter Lanier (No. 40) is viewed as a second-rounder.

And-Ones: Award Announcements, Laughlin, Playoff MVPs, More

After revealing this season’s Most Valuable Player on Wednesday, the NBA will wrap up its 2024/25 award announcements within the next two days.

According to the league (Twitter link), the two All-Defensive teams will be announced on Thursday at 2:00 pm Eastern time, while the three All-NBA teams will be unveiled at 7:00 pm ET on Friday during TNT’s pregame broadcast ahead of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The All-NBA teams, in particular, will be worth watching, since those results can have a major impact on player contracts going forward. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is the key player to keep an eye on — assuming he makes one of the three All-NBA teams, Cunningham’s maximum-salary rookie scale extension will begin at 30% of next season’s cap instead of 25%.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former Warriors assistant and current Pelicans coaches chief of staff James Laughlin is leaving New Orleans to take a job overseas as the new general manager of Napoli Basket in Italy, per Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. According to Urbonas, Laughlin spent five years in Golden State and the past four with the Pelicans.
  • Chris Herring of ESPN updated his 2025 playoff MVP rankings ahead of the start of the second round, placing Knicks guard Jalen Brunson atop his list. With the conference finals underway, it’s unclear if Brunson would still claim that top spot — he scored 43 points on 15-of-25 shooting in New York’s Game 1 loss to Indiana on Wednesday, but also had more turnovers (seven) than assists (five) on the night.
  • With the NBA set to crown a seventh different champion in seven years, Colin Salao of Front Office Sports writes that the league has entered an era of unprecedented parity and wonders if super-teams have become a thing of the past.
  • Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report shares his thoughts on the biggest winners at last week’s draft combine, singling out San Diego State’s Miles Byrd, Chinese big man Hansen Yang, and four other prospects.

Draft Notes: Combine Standouts, Raynaud, Yang, Luis, Watkins

The scrimmages at this year’s draft combine are seemingly more cohesive than in year’s past, with several prospects standing out due to their selfless play, according to a team of ESPN’s NBA insiders. Stanford forward Maxime Raynaud was the most impactful standout of day two of the combine in ESPN’s view, showing impressive ball-handling, three-point shooting and facilitating at 7’0″.

Having stood out during the first set of scrimmages that took place on day two, Raynaud elected to shut down scrimmaging for the third day of the combine, per Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman (Twitter link). After scoring 20 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes, Raynaud’s team must feel his draft stock is secure. He’s listed at No. 34 on ESPN’s best available list.

The ESPN crew identifies a long list of standouts, including UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford. It’s worth monitoring the status of Lendeborg, who looked strong on the defensive end, given that he has indicated he would need a firm promise to stay in the class. Pettiford, meanwhile, ended up as the leading scorer for the day with 23 points to go along with eight assists.

A pair of players from Australia’s NBL made their mark in scrimmages too, as Alex Toohey and Lachlan Olbrich held their own. Olbrich was a call-up from the G League Elite camp and scored 15 points while making all but one of his eight shot attempts.

We have more from the draft:

  • Chinese center Hansen Yang came into the draft process a relative unknown by outsiders, but he’s making his mark at the combine. According to ESPN, Yang was also one of the top performers from day two, matching up and holding his own against Michigan big man Vladislav Goldin. Yang is taking in the draft process and expressed excitement about the opportunity he has in front of him, according to the AP’s Tim Reynolds. “He really feels happiness here,” Chris Liu, Yang’s interpreter, said. “And then, he’s really willing to compete with everyone and against everyone. He really enjoyed that.” Yang currently sits at No. 67 on ESPN’s board.
  • St. John’s guard RJ Luis said he’s “all-in” on the NBA draft, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello (Twitter link). Luis is technically still in the transfer portal but said he hasn’t spoken to any college coaches yet and isn’t thinking about that at the time. Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds last year as a junior. Luis ranks 62nd on ESPN’s board.
  • Florida State’s Jamir Watkins made a big impact on the third day of the combine, according to ESPN’s Jon Chepkevich (Twitter link). In the first scrimmage of the day, Watkins recorded 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals, helping himself showcase his two-way ability. He’s currently ranked No. 65 on ESPN’s big board.

NBA Announces 75 Invitees For 2025 Draft Combine

The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 75 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 11-18.

In addition to those 75 players, a handful of standout players from the G League Elite Camp, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.

Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2025 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.

College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 28 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 15. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.

Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2025 draft combine:

(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)

  1. Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
  2. Neoklis Avdalas, G/F, Greece (born 2006)
  3. Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
  4. Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
  5. Koby Brea, G, Kentucky (senior)
  6. Johni Broome, F/C, Auburn (senior)
  7. Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
  8. Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (sophomore)
  9. Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida (senior)
  10. Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State (senior)
  11. Alex Condon, F/C, Florida (sophomore)
  12. Cedric Coward, F, Washington State (senior)
  13. Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
  14. Eric Dixon, F, Villanova (senior)
  15. V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
  16. Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
  17. Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (freshman)
  18. Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
  19. Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
  20. Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas (freshman)
  21. Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
  22. Vladislav Goldin, C, Michigan (senior)
  23. Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
  24. PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis (sophomore)
  25. Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
  26. Ben Henshall, G/F, Australia (born 2004)
  27. Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
  28. Sion James, G, Duke (senior)
  29. Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
  30. Kameron Jones, G, Marquette (senior)
  31. Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton (senior)
  32. Karter Knox, F, Arkansas (freshman)
  33. Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
  34. Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee (senior)
  35. Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB (senior)
  36. RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
  37. Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
  38. Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
  39. Alijah Martin, G, Florida (senior)
  40. Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
  41. Jalon Moore, F, Oklahoma (senior)
  42. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
  43. Grant Nelson, F, Alabama (senior)
  44. Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
  45. Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (junior)
  46. Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
  47. Micah Peavy, G/F, Georgetown (senior)
  48. Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
  49. Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn (freshman)
  50. Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (freshman)
  51. Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
  52. Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
  53. Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
  54. Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford (senior)
  55. Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
  56. Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
  57. Michael Ruzic, F, Spain (born 2006)
  58. Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest (senior)
  59. Kobe Sanders, G, Nevada (senior)
  60. Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
  61. Mark Sears, G, Albama (senior)
  62. Max Shulga, G, VCU (senior)
  63. Javon Small, G, West Virginia (senior)
  64. Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
  65. Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
  66. John Tonje, G, Wisconsin (senior)
  67. Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
  68. Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
  69. Milos Uzan, G, Houston (junior)
  70. Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State (senior)
  71. Brice Williams, G/F, Nebraska (senior)
  72. Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech (junior)
  73. Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
  74. Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
  75. Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)

It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:

  • A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child).
  • Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
  • Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.

Ben Saraf, Tyrese Proctor Among Draft’s Latest Early Entrants

Israeli guard Ben Saraf has decided to enter the 2025 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Saraf, who is the No. 23 player on ESPN’s big board of 2025 prospects, plays overseas for the German team Ratiopharm Ulm. In 16 EuroCup games this season, the 19-year-old has averaged 12.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.4 minutes per contest.

“This is the right time for me,” Saraf said. “After playing against the highest levels of competition in European basketball, I am ready and excited for the draft, but first we need to finish the season strong in Ulm.”

As Givony writes, Saraf is well regarded by NBA evaluators for several reasons, including his size, scoring instincts, and feel for the game. He’s also a creative play-maker, though his outside shot remains a work in progress. He has made just 10-of-45 three-point attempts (22.2%) in EuroCup competition this season.

Here are a few more updates on prospects who are entering the draft as early entrants:

  • Duke junior guard Tyrese Proctor is entering the NBA draft, as Colton Schwabe writes for the Duke Chronicle. Proctor had his best season as a Blue Devil in 2024/25, starting all 38 games he played in for the Final Four team and averaging 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest, with a .452/.405/.680 shooting line. The 6’6″ guard, who named to the All-ACC third team, is the No. 47 player on ESPN’s big board.
  • Hansen Yang, a 7’1″ center who plays for Qingdao in China, has declared for the draft, his representatives at Klutch Sports tell Givony (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has averaged a double-double in 45 outings this season, posting 16.6 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and 2.6 BPG in 32.8 MPG. He comes in at No. 79 on ESPN’s board and could be a second-round draft-and-stash candidate if he keeps his name in the draft.
  • Forward/center Izan Almansa is entering the draft, agent Guillermo Bermejo tells Givony (Twitter link). Almansa already has an impressive résumé, having spent time with Overtime Elite, the G League Ignite, and – most recently – the Perth Wildcats in Australia. The 19-year-old has also represented the Spanish national team in several competitions, including at the 2023 U19 World Cup, where the Spaniards won gold and Almansa earned MVP honors. He’s the No. 89 prospect on ESPN’s top-100 list.
  • As we detailed last week, international early entrants like Saraf, Yang, and Almansa have until June 15 to decide whether or not they want to keep their names in the draft. Most college prospects will make that decision by May 28, which is the deadline for a player to withdraw and preserve his NCAA eligibility.