Jeff Goodman: Kentucky point guard Sahvir Wheeler told …

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Jeff Goodman: Ohio State’s EJ Liddell will withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to the Buckeyes next season. Liddell is a potential first-team All-American and Ohio State Is a Preseason Top 15-20 team despite the loss of Duane Washington Jr., to the pros.
Jalen Wilson withdrew from the NBA draft on Friday and announced he would return to Kansas for his sophomore season, providing more experience on the wing for a rebuilt team that should begin among the top five in the nation. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Wilson averaged 11.8 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds last season, helping the Jayhawks reach the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Kentucky is getting its top basketball scorer back from last season, as guard Davion Mintz has decided to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to school.
A graduate transfer from Creighton, Mintz led the Wildcats in scoring (11.5 PPG) and assists (3.1 APG) in 2020-21 while also averaging 3.2 rebounds per game. This is the first time Kentucky is getting its leading scorer back since Randolph Morris in 2006-07.
Andrew Slater: 7’ Kofi Cockburn, who was a 2nd-team All-American & 1st-team All-Big 10, will enter the transfer portal, while keeping his name in the NBA Draft. @kxng_alpha , who averaged 17.7 points & 9.5 rebounds this season, is exploring all options. He can instantly elevate any program.
Jordan Hall is withdrawing from the 2021 NBA Draft and will return to Saint Joseph’s next season instead of transferring to Texas A&M, a source told College Hoops Today.
Jon Rothstein: Marcus Carr is expected to withdraw from the 2021 NBA Draft and return to college next season, per his mentor Vidal Massiah. Carr is also in the transfer portal and will be one of the highest sought after transfers if he decides to leave Minnesota.
Jeff Goodman: BREAKING: Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. Will not be returning to school and will keep his name in for the NBA Draft, he told @Stadium. Buckeyes go from Top 10 to Top 25 team — depending if EJ Liddell returns.
Sam Vecenie: Basically from the moment Washington played well in the G League Elite Camp, this was expected by Ohio State. After a good week in Chicago, Washington is seen by most NBA teams as a reasonable two-way contract player due to his shooting.
Michael Yero: Kameron McGusty announces that he’ll be returning to Miami. As for Isaiah Wong, he remains heavily undecided. He’s having a workout with the Cleveland Cavaliers today.
Jeff Goodman: Winthrop’s D.J. Burns has decided to withdraw from the NBA draft process, he told @Stadium. Talented big man who helped lead the Eagles to the NCAA tourney last season.
Jeff Goodman: Stetson’s Christiaan Jones has withdrawn from the NBA draft process and will return to school, he told @Stadium.
Keve Aluma, who entered the NBA Draft in April, is returning to the Virginia Tech men's basketball team. Aluma, who made the All-ACC second team as a fourth-year junior, said Thursday in a phone interview that withdrawing from the draft and rejoining the Hokies was a "pretty simple" decision. "It's not like I was all over the draft boards," he said.
I spoke to Aaron Wiggins’ agent, Austin Walton, earlier this morning, and he mentioned that interest from NBA teams had increased significantly in recent days. He continued to explain to me that Wiggins and his family have decided to preserve his college eligibility in order to keep the door open for a return back to Maryland next season. However, if things keep trending up, and he is provided a certain level of assurance, it is certainly possible that Wiggins stays in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jon Rothstein: Matthew Mayer is returning to Baylor next season, per @DraftExpress. Was an early entry candidate to the 2021 NBA Draft. Will be a massive breakout guy in 21-22.
Kofi Cockburn, a 7-foot, 285-pound center, has done everything but come right out and say that he's remaining in the 2021 NBA Draft and won't be returning to Champaign. The Jamaica native made a post on Instagram on Tuesday with a heartfelt caption, signaling that his time with the Illini is over. "Extremely happy to have been apart of and represented a program like this, I enjoyed every single day I spent in Champaign and I am proud of the growth I had while I was there, words can't express how much I love the Illini and I wouldn't trade that part of my journey for the world," Cockburn wrote.
Liz Mullen: Mississippi State G D.J. Stewart Jr. has signed with @ISEBasketball for representation in the NBA Draft on- and off-the-court. NBA agent David Bauman is repping on the court. ISE agents Parker Cain & Travis King are repping him for marketing & all other endeavors.
Marc J. Spears: The NBA says 353 players -- 296 players from colleges and other educational institutions and 57 international players -- have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2021. The NBA Draft, which is on July 29, still only has 60 total selections. pic.twitter.com/mWDJWJQudP
Real Madrid’s Carlos Alocen has declared for the 2021 NBA draft, reports ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Another Raznatovic client is declaring for the draft, according to Givony, who tweets that 6’9″ Croatian wing Boris Tisma has entered the draft pool. Tisma, 19, played for Real Betis in the Spanish League this season, though he saw limited action.
Michigan freshman center Hunter Dickinson has entered the NBA draft while giving himself the option of staying in school. Dickinson made the announcement on social media on Wednesday. Dickinson earned second-team All-America, Big Ten's Freshman of the Year and all-conference honors last season.
Dragan Jankovski: 01 born PG, member of German NT, Justus Hollatz declared for 2021 NBA Draft! #BeoBasket
Texas forward Greg Brown announced Thursday he is turning pro and won't return to the Longhorns for his sophomore season under new coach Chris Beard. Brown, who is ranked No. 29 in ESPN's top 100 draft prospects, was a top-10 recruit when he signed with Texas and former coach Shaka Smart.
Turkish power forward Alperen Sengun has submitted paperwork to make himself eligible for the 2021 NBA draft, as reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and later on confirmed by the player himself on his social media.
Khimki Moscow forward Vladislav Odinokov has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft as an early entrant, the player told Eurohoops. The 21-year-old Russian baller is looking to test the waters of the NBA draft and present his capabilities and potential to clubs.
Oral Roberts sophomore Max Abmas will enter the NBA Draft, sources told ESPN on Sunday. Abmas will maintain his college eligibility. "My plan is to enter the draft and get as much feedback as I can. I'm hoping to work my way into the first round or get some type of guaranteed contract to help me decide whether to stay in," said Abmas.
Oral Roberts point guard Max Abmas led the country in scoring (24.2 points per game) and turned in a Stephen Curry circa 2008 NCAA tournament performance (26.6 ppg.) during a Sweet 16 run this season. His stock couldn't be higher. The 6'1" sophomore took a major step toward cashing in, declaring for the NBA Draft on Sunday. “I’m officially declaring, but I plan to retain my eligibility throughout the process,” Abmas told Sports Illustrated.
“I’m not sure whether I will enter the Draft. I want to play in the NBA, if not this year, then at least next year,” Princepal told Firstpost from Ohio, where he is training with Elevate X. “My contract with Ignite ended when the season was done. Maybe I’ll play for another G League team next year. Maybe I’ll play in the Summer League.”
After a high-performing junior season, UB forward Josh Mballa has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. He made the announcement in an Instagram post on Thursday.
FIL-AM guard Remy Martin has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. The 6-foot point guard announced the news on the Arizona State Sun Devils' social media accounts as he gets to pursue his long-awaited NBA dream.
University of Dayton point guard Jalen Crutcher announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he will declare for the NBA Draft. He said that he will forgo his extra year of eligibility and hire an agent ending his college career at UD.
Adrian Wojnarowski: University of Michigan sophomore forward Franz Wagner – the ninth-rated draft prospect in ESPN’s Top 100 – is entering the 2021 NBA Draft, he told ESPN. Wagner was the highest-rated player on ESPN’s board still unannounced for the July draft.
Kentucky guard Davion Mintz will test the draft waters and go through the NBA’s evaluation process, but is leaving the door open for a potential return to UK, the school announced this afternoon.
Syracuse small forward Alan Griffin is entering the NBA draft. Griffin made the announcemnt Friday in a video post on Instagram that featured his father, Adrian, who spent a decade in the NBA as a player and now is an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors.
Fresno State’s big man Orlando Robinson has declared for the NBA Draft. However, the sophomore forward will not hire an agent, which means he keeps his eligibility if he does decide to return for his junior campaign.
Texas Longhorns guard Matt Coleman has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, as the school announced that he’ll hire an agent and turn professional instead of returning for a fifth season and playing for new head coach Chris Beard.
Brian Davis: Texas G Courtney Ramey announces he’ll go through the NBA Draft process while keeping his eligibility. Remains “fully committed” to the Horns. “Always have been.”
Sophomore guard D.J. Carton of the Marquette University men's basketball team is leaving the program to pursue a career in professional basketball. "I would like to thank Marquette University, Coach Smart and my teammates for their support throughout my decision process," Carton said. "I will be putting my name in for consideration in the 2021 NBA Draft and hiring an agent. I am thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to the next step in my career."
Storyline: Draft Early Entries
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March 21, 2023 | 9:20 pm EDT Update

Thunder 'open-minded' to SGA playing in back-to-backs?

Joe Mussatto: Mark Daigneault said the Thunder is “open-minded” to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing on back-to-backs moving forward (like the upcoming one Thursday/Friday.) Daigneault said SGA has responded well from abdominal strain: “The back to backs are more on the table now when they were then.”
March 21, 2023 | 7:58 pm EDT Update

Damian Lillard not interested in rebuilding with Portland

NBACentral: Damian Lillard says he’s not interested in rebuilding “That’s not what I’m interested in. That’s what the frustrating part of it is. Talking about what’s gonna happen next season. And us ‘building’. That’s not what I’m here to do especially at this stage of my career”

Coach Darvin Ham said this extended push hasn’t left his team mentally fatigued in any noticeable ways. He’s mostly seen the opposite. “It’s caused them to come to the game on high alert and high awareness,” he said. “Just having something to play for. You’d be surprised how comfortable guys are with that as opposed to having to play a meaningless game. The fact that these games carry so much weight, I think, is causing our guys to lock in more. I don’t see any stress. I just see guys figuring it out because they want to be a part of this team getting into the postseason and making a run. “So the stress, the anxiety, I don’t see that. My coaching staff and I, we talked about that this morning, they don’t see that from our players. I see a bit of hunger.”