The deadline for junior players to withdraw from 2023 NBA Draft came and went. In total, 108 players reported NBA They will withdraw in order to be considered for the draft and give their schools a boost by returning for the 2023-24 season.
A few players have waited until the final hours of the deadline to announce their decision on whether to stay in the draft or go back to school. One of them was Purdue big man Zack Eddy, who is coming off a stellar season with the Boilermakers that saw him win the CBS Sports National Player of the Year award. With Edey in the fold, Purdue becomes an immediate contender for the national championship and Edey will be a strong candidate to repeat as an NPOY.
The 2024 NBA draft isn’t as top talent as this year’s draft will be. Grant Nelson is one of the players on the list who is progressing as a rookie. The former North Dakota State big man does not yet have a home for next season and was selected to enter the transfer portal during the pre-draft process. He already has several suitors in line for his services and an announcement may come soon as to where he will play next season.
These 10 players will have a chance to improve their stock the most and become potential first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft if their 2023-24 seasons go according to plan.
Tom Izzo got a major boost hours before the early entry drawing deadline when Akins and AJ Hoggard announced they were back in school this season. The Spartans bring back five of their top six scorers this season and have two five-star players Xavier Booker and Jeremy Viers enter the program. Last season, Akins averaged 9.8 points and scored 42.2% from behind the arc. Akins was considered in the mid/late second round range if he kept his name in the draft. If Akins can improve his game and finish with the basket this season, returning to MSU would be the right decision. Akins’ strongest attribute is his ability as jumpers and jumpers. was at 96 percent Of all the college players last season in that division.
Bona injured his shoulder in the Pac-12 tournament and missed the championship game against Arizona as well as the Bruins’ first-round game against UNC Asheville. Bona returned to play against Northwestern the next game, but was clearly not at 100% and missed UCLA’s Sweet 16 contest against Gonzaga. Bona was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and also landed on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team after averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 23 minutes per game. Bona will have a bigger role with the Bruins this season after the team lost Amari Bailey, Tyger Campbell, Jaylen Clark and Jamie Jaquez Jr. to the NBA Draft. Bona’s profile as a top level defender at the next level and another solid (and healthy) season at Westwood will prompt him to be considered for the first round.
Zack Eddy, Purdue
Eddie faced an uphill climb to be drafted this summer if he chose to stay in the draft. The consensus National Player of the Year is not considered an elite talent in the NBA due to the evolution of the modern NBA. Eddie is a big basketball running back man who dominated the college game last season. The 7-4 center averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in his first season as a starter. Eddie was ranked 72nd on the CBS Sports senior panel before he withdrew from the draft. Another season as a full-time starter will definitely bolster his stock. Edey would have a chance at redemption after his team became the second top seed to lose in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Virginia was the last team to lose in the first round of the tournament as the top seed and won the national championship the following season.
Another shock before the deadline was Hawkins and teammate Terrence Shannon Jr. opting to return to Illinois for one final season. Both players were considered to have been selected in the early second round if they remained in the draft. Hawkins’ two-way forward features at the next level and showed flashes of ground-stretching ability despite shooting only 28% from beyond the arc. Hawkins has already shown his ability to protect every position on the floor and has averaged 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. His versatility as a defender along with improving shooting numbers could help him rise in the first round next summer.
Da Ron Holmes, Dayton
The 2023 NBA draft could see only a few true centers drafted and Holmes would have been in the mix had he kept his name in the draft. The big guy worked 6 to 10 with a bunch of NBA teams And he would have been last with the Sacramento Kings if it had been him The flight has not been cancelled. Holmes showed dramatic improvements from last season’s strong freshman campaign and averaged 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. His ability to finish on the brink is one of the strongest aspects of his game, and his 89 dunks last season were second Of all Division l players. Holmes shot 14.3% from the three-point line as a freshman and that number rose to 31.6% last season. Holmes making another leap as a behind-the-bow shooter will greatly help his stock.
Jones made the most of his last-minute invitation to the G League Elite Camp and was one of only eight players from the show to receive an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine the following week. Jones demonstrated his ability last season as an elite defensive tackle and led the nation in that statistical category. Despite very strong performances in both events, Jones chose to return to Weber State. The Wildcats should be an early contender for the Big Sky title and the team returns all five starters. Last season, Jones averaged 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 forward will need to lower his turnover rate (3.4 per game last season) in order to make the next move.
Lawrence did not withdraw his name from last month’s NBA draft consideration. He also removed his name from the transfer gate and elected to play one more season under Jerry Stackhouse despite receiving significant interest from Auburn, Georgia, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Miami and Memphis. He averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season and greatly improved his long-distance shooting in his third season. He shot 20% from 3-point range during the 2021-22 season and raised that number to 36% on less than three attempts per game. Lawrence received a larger role and nearly doubled his minutes played from 15.1 during his sophomore season to 29 per game last season. Lawrence said in the NBA draft combine I don’t mind going back to school. He got his wish and will have to improve his numbers to prove it was the right decision to go back to school.
Mitchell attempted a total of zero three-pointers during his freshman season at Texas, but showed flashes of his long-distance shooting during the NBA Draft Combine. The former five-star prospect will need to improve his offensive production and free-throw shooting next season in Austin to receive first-round consideration. He was given a limited role on the Texas deep roster as a true freshman and averaged just 17.4 minutes per game. Not only will his return to school allow him to land a bigger role, but it will remove any doubts about his ability to film at the next level. Mitchell’s biggest strength is his playing ability and size as a 6-8 forward. Returning to school for his sophomore season has to be a great decision for Mitchell’s overall development.
Grant Nelson, TBD
Where will Nelson play next season? The former NDSU star is receive glances He is from Baylor, Florida State, Iowa, and Alabama among others and is the No. 3 ranked player in the college basketball transfer portal by 247Sports. The 6-11 forward is a great prospect and will get a different role wherever he chooses to play his final college season. Nelson is a contemporary point forward with a very solid handle. He shot 29.4% on three-pointers last season and will need to improve that number to take his game to the next level. Nelson showed off his athleticism during the NBA Combine, but coming back for another season and playing well for a bigger school will help his stock. It is possible that Nelson would have gone undrafted or would have been a very late second round pick had he stayed in the draft.
The 6-9 forward will return to Colorado for one final season and will turn 23 at the time of a tryout next summer. He is a versatile forward who has improved his three-point shooting percentage every season at the school. He shot 39.4% from distance on 3.9 attempts per game last season and this is one of his greatest strengths. He’ll need to improve his defense this season to take the next step as an elite candidate. He did not receive an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine last month, which indicates a possible return to school. Colorado is expected to be a top 25 team heading into the season and Da Silva projects as a focal point.