By JAMES MADDEN & ADAM ZAGORIA
Some of college basketball’s top players have officially withdrawn from the 2025 NBA Draft. This list includes Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, Florida’s Alex Condon, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, St. John’s Joson Sason, Houston’s Milos Uzan, Texas A&M’s Mackenzie Mgbako, Darrion Williams (who transferred to NC State from Texas Tech) and Boogie Fland (who transferred to Florida from Arkansas).
Meantime, St. John’s RJ Luis, Arkansas’ Adou Thiero and Flroida State’s Jamir Watkins announced their intentions to remain in the 2025 NBA Draft.
With the recent addition of NIL, college basketball players have opportunities to make millions of dollars in college and thus have less incentive to remain in the NBA Draft. PJ Haggerty, one of the top transfers in this year’s cycle, got $2 million guaranteed and $500,000 in incentives, a source told ZAGSBLOG. A record-low 106 underclassmen entered the 2025 NBA Draft, according to YahooSports.com’s Jonathan Givony.
Lendeborg is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward and spent the 2024-25 season at UAB, averaging 17.7 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game. He gained more notoriety during the AAC Tournament, recording a stat line of 30 points, 20 rebounds and eight assists in a win against East Carolina.
Sanon spent this past season at Arizona State and averaged 11.9 points per game. He is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard and was originally a member of the class of 2025 in high school. Originally from Massachusetts, Sanon elected to enter the transfer portal and return to the east coast to play for Rick Pitino and St. John’s.
Uzan was a crucial member of a Houston team that was seconds away from winning a national championship this season. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Uzan will be Houston’s lead guard next season following the departure of LJ Cryer. Averaging 11.4 points per game and 4.3 assists per game this season, Uzan will step into an even bigger role next season for the Cougars.
Mgbako is an athletic 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward from New Jersey and spent two seasons at Indiana before transferring to Texas A&M following the departure of head coach Mike Woodson. A former five-star recruit, he averaged 12.2 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game for the Hoosiers in the 2024-25 season.
The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain your eligibility is May 28.
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