The NBA announced on Thursday that 38 early entry players withdrew their names from the draft, which will be held on June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
This year, 71 players filed as early entry candidates for the draft, down from 106 last year and 195 the year prior. The steep decline stems directly from the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL), with some players commanding multimillion-dollar offers to play at powerhouse programs.
Prospects 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 waited until Wednesday evening to make a decision.
The NBA announced today that 38 players have notified the league that they wish to be removed from the list of “early entry” players eligible for selection in the NBA Draft 2026. Following the NBA’s early entry withdrawal deadline of 5 p.m. ET on June 13, 2026, the NBA will… pic.twitter.com/VwfL4qsQJH
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 28, 2026
Several players who returned to school had the opportunity to compete in the draft combine and attend team workouts and interviews. There, they received feedback about their draft stock to help make their decision ahead of the withdrawal deadline.
Prospects like Alabama freshman Amari Allen, Michigan State sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr., Iowa State junior Milan Momcilovic, Kentucky freshman Malachi Moreno and Baylor guard Tounde Yessoufou were among the top players who withdrew from the draft.
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. on June 13.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: NBA draft 2026: 38 players withdraw ahead of early entry deadline
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