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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA draft 2025: 50 early entry players withdrew ahead of deadline
The NBA announced on Friday that 50 early entry players withdrew their names from the draft, which will be held on June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The league said that 106 players filed as early entry candidates this year. The number of early entry players was down from 195 last year, due to the rise of name, image, and likeness (NIL), as players were afforded more earning potential by staying in college. College players had until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. EDT to withdraw and maintain their remaining eligibility. While many announced their intentions well before the deadline, several players used their allotted time by waiting until Wednesday evening to make a decision. Several of the prospects who returned to school had the opportunity to compete in the draft combine earlier this month and attend team workouts and interviews. There, they received feedback about their draft stock to help make their decision ahead of the withdrawal deadline. Players such as Florida sophomore Alex Condon, Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg, Auburn freshman Tahaad Pettiford, Alabama freshman Labaron Philon and Houston junior Milos Uzan were among the top players who withdrew from the draft. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle The remaining field of draft-eligible players, typically those playing for international clubs, has the right to withdraw their names from consideration by 5 p.m. EDT on June 15.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida basketball an overwhelming winner after NBA draft deadline passes
Florida basketball an overwhelming winner after NBA draft deadline passes The Gator Nation exhaled a collective sigh of relief when rising junior forward Alex Condon's decision to withdraw his name from the 2025 NBA draft was announced, signaling his return to Florida to defend its national title. Not only did fans of the Orange and Blue cheer the native of Australia's decision to go back to school, but also the sports media as a whole. After the NBA draft withdrawal deadline passed, USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg, CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno and Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney all anointed Todd Golden's gang as "winners" heading into the summer months. Take a look below at what the trio offered on the Florida Gators and why they were winners in the eyes of each respective writer. USA TODAY Sports: Gators a post-draft decision winner "Condon had an uneven NCAA tournament but came up huge in the championship game against Houston, illustrating his potential along with the need to hone his game before taking the next step into the NBA. Junior center Rueben Chinyelu also backed out of the draft, while forward Thomas Haugh decided not to enter the process and will see an increase in minutes with three key seniors, led by Walter Clayton Jr., gone from last year's team," Myerberg notes. "The Gators also added one of the biggest transfers of the spring in former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland — another player (who) considered turning pro before staying in school." CBS Sports: Florida primed to make another title run "The reigning national champion saw its starting frontcourt of Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu withdraw from the draft to return to school. Their return solidifies Florida's frontcourt depth as the best in the country. That group gave opposing teams nightmares during the NCAA Tournament," states Salerno. "Add in transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, and you have a team capable of making another title run next year." Sports Illustrated: Legitimate chance at repeat "It had already been a strong offseason for Florida after Thomas Haugh elected to return for his junior season and star portal guards Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and Boogie Fland (Arkansas) committed to the Gators. That said, a huge part of Florida's national title run in 2024–25 was its frontcourt, and Todd Golden will officially bring back the top four bigs from that squad with potential first-rounder Alex Condon returning to school," Sweeney begins. "Condon will be the Gators' leading returning scorer and rebounder as he continues his upward trajectory from former Australian Rules Football star into serious NBA prospect. His toughness, versatility and feel for the game make him one of the most effective bigs in the SEC, and as he continues to get more comfortable on the perimeter, he could enter the All-American conversation," he continues. "Condon's return gives the Gators a legitimate chance to repeat as national champions and positions them as a likely top-five team in the preseason." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Which players opted out of 2025 NBA Draft? Alex Condon, Milos Uzan headline list
NIL has changed the dynamic for players declaring for the NBA Draft. Nothing changed for the guys projected to go in the lottery. Players such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and V.J. Edgecombe are going to keep their names in the draft and move on to their NBA careers. However, for underclassmen expected to be taken late in the first round or early in the second, the calculus changes: Players taken 20th or below make less than $3 million in their rookie season, and second-round picks do not automatically receive guaranteed NBA contracts. For those players, staying in college for another year may be the most sensible option. That is why there are fewer sophomores and juniors in recent drafts than years past. Which name players withdrew from the 2025 NBA Draft? Here are some of the biggest names. Alex Condon, Florida A big win for the national champions, they get back the 6'11' playmaking big who averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game last season. More than the counting stats, it was his passing that made him critical to the Gators' offense. How many 6'11 guys in college basketball can be a playmaker & pass the way Alex Condon can 🐊🦄 Nate Bittle, Oregon Bittle's decision was probably made the second he didn't get an invite to the NBA Draft Combine. There are few better stretch fives in the college game than Bittle, who averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds a game for the Ducks, shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc. Milos Uzan, Houston He was projected as a second-round pick before the NBA Draft Combine, but guards who shot 44% on 3-pointers tend to get drafted. However, Uzan struggled in the Cougars' final games leading up to the national title game, and then struggled at the combine. After all that, he decided to return to Houston, which should be in title contention again next season. WE 👏WANT👏 MORE👏 MILOS Milos Uzan Highlights vs. #13 Arizona🎥👀#Big12MBB | @UHCougarMBK Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan A huge win for the Wolverines that Lendenborg withdrew his name from the draft, he played well at the combine but apparently could not get a guarantee to be taken in the top 20. Last season at UAB, he averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn The sixth man on a Final Four team who averaged 11.6 points a game last season is returning to coach Bruce Pearl. While there is NBA interest in him, the fact that he is 6'1' (in shoes) and has struggled defensively has teams thinking of Pettiford more as a second-round pick at this point. So he is returning to Auburn. Labaron Philon, Alabama Philon is another perfect example of a quality freshman who was a bubble first/early second-round pick who likely would have come out a few years ago, but thanks to NIL, will choose to stay in Tuscaloosa another year. He averaged 10.6 points a game last year and showed real creativity in getting to the rim and finishing in the paint, showed he could work on or off the ball, and had an excellent feel for the game. Big win for Alabama to get him back. Labaron Philon at #8 Kentucky 15 PTS 4 AST 4 REB 3 OREB 1 STL 3FG: 3-5 (60%) FT: 4-4 (100%) 31 Boogie Fland, Florida Fland averaged 13.5 points and 5.1 assists a game for Arkansas last season, but projected as a second-round pick he has decided to return to college. Just not to Arkansas. He has committed to Florida, teaming up with Condon to chase back-to-back titles. Karter Knox, Arkansas The brother of another Jon Calipari player, Kevin Knox II (at Kentucky), he averaged 8.3 points a game last season but is expected to have a larger role this season. That likely helps his draft stock in the future. PJ Haggerty, Kansas State It's not a huge surprise that he's returning to college, and what will be his fourth team in four years. Last season in Memphis, the guard averaged 21.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a game, but questions about his turnovers and ability to finish at the rim have NBA teams hesitant. Otega Oweh, Kentucky The 6'5' guard who averaged 16.2 points a game last season shooting 35.5% from 3 has chosen to return to the Wildcats for what will be his senior season. His quote about that to ESPN sums up the situation for a lot of players: 'I got great feedback from NBA teams, but the consensus was to come back to school and have a great year.' Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M New A&M coach Bucky McMillan thought he was going to lose his first splashy new transfer after Mgbako had a stellar workout at the NBA Draft Combine, but instead he is returning to college for his junior year. He played for Indiana last season and averaged 12.2 points a game.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida basketball remains just outside top 5 in CBS Sports' updated Top 25 And 1 rankings
Florida basketball remains ranked No. 6 in CBS Sports' latest "Top 25 And 1" preseason college basketball rankings, released by national analyst Gary Parrish. Florida, the reigning national champion, holds steady thanks to a strong returning core and a productive offseason. The Gators bring back five of their top 10 scorers from last season's title run, including forward Alex Condon, who withdrew from the NBA draft to return to Gainesville. Advertisement Condon is joined by fellow returners Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Urban Klavzar and Micah Handlogten. The roster also gets a boost from a pair of key transfers: Princeton guard Xaivian Lee and former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland. CBS Sports' update came following a significant roster move elsewhere–Pop Isaacs, a former Creighton guard who had committed to Houston, flipped to Texas A&M. That decision dropped the Cougars from No. 1 and moved St. John's into the top spot. Here is everything Parrish said about the Gators and why they are ranked at No. 6 in the rankings. Why CBS Sports ranked Florida at No. 6 "This ranking is based on the Gators returning five of the top 10 scorers — specifically Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Urban Klavzar and Micah Handlogten — from a team that finished 36-4 and won the 2025 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee, Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland and four-star freshmen CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd." Top 5 in CBS Sports' college basketball rankings The top five features St. John's, Houston, BYU, Purdue and UConn, respectively. The Florida Gators remain the highest-ranked SEC team and enters the 2025-26 season as a favorite to repeat as national champions. Advertisement Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball outside top 5 in CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 rankings
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida basketball remains just outside top 5 in CBS Sports' updated Top 25 And 1 rankings
Florida basketball remains just outside top 5 in CBS Sports' updated Top 25 And 1 rankings Florida basketball remains ranked No. 6 in CBS Sports' latest "Top 25 And 1" preseason college basketball rankings, released by national analyst Gary Parrish. Florida, the reigning national champion, holds steady thanks to a strong returning core and a productive offseason. The Gators bring back five of their top 10 scorers from last season's title run, including forward Alex Condon, who withdrew from the NBA draft to return to Gainesville. Condon is joined by fellow returners Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Urban Klavzar and Micah Handlogten. The roster also gets a boost from a pair of key transfers: Princeton guard Xaivian Lee and former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland. CBS Sports' update came following a significant roster move elsewhere–Pop Isaacs, a former Creighton guard who had committed to Houston, flipped to Texas A&M. That decision dropped the Cougars from No. 1 and moved St. John's into the top spot. Here is everything Parrish said about the Gators and why they are ranked at No. 6 in the rankings. Why CBS Sports ranked Florida at No. 6 "This ranking is based on the Gators returning five of the top 10 scorers — specifically Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Urban Klavzar and Micah Handlogten — from a team that finished 36-4 and won the 2025 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee, Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland and four-star freshmen CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd." Top 5 in CBS Sports' college basketball rankings The top five features St. John's, Houston, BYU, Purdue and UConn, respectively. The Florida Gators remain the highest-ranked SEC team and enters the 2025-26 season as a favorite to repeat as national champions. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
