NBA Draft 2025 withdrawal deadline superlatives: Labaron Philon shocks with buzzer-beating return to Alabama
The NCAA's NBA withdrawal deadline came and went Wednesday night, but not without some drama. In the final days and hours, numerous teams waited with bated breath as several major college stars debated -- and in some cases delayed -- their professional pursuits.
That theme carried throughout the deadline period, which featured major risers and fallers among draft prospects, momentum swings for programs and a reshaped draft landscape. Over just a few weeks, the pre-draft process moved players through interviews, team workouts and the NBA Draft Combine, solidifying what this year's talent pool will look like when the draft begins June 25.
There's plenty to take away from the past month -- especially how things have shifted on both the college and draft fronts. And you're in luck: I've got thoughts on all of it.
Here's a rundown of the biggest takeaways and standout moments from the deadline.
Best NBA prospect returning to college: Yaxel LendeborgHeading into NBA Draft Combine week, the belief was that UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg needed a strong showing in Chicago to consider staying in the NBA Draft and backing off his previous commitment to Michigan. Then he delivered exactly that -- and was left weighing a tough decision.
Ultimately, Lendeborg stuck with his commitment and -- in something of a surprise -- put his NBA future on hold. He bypassed the chance to be a potential late first-round pick to join the Wolverines under new coach Dusty May.
He's the highest-rated player on my board returning to college next season. At Michigan, he'll have the opportunity to step into a starring role -- one that nearly produced an out-of-nowhere lottery pick in Danny Wolf. Lendeborg is on a similar trajectory for the 2026 NBA Draft, though his rise won't catch anyone by surprise. He's a defensive menace who should impact winning early and often in Ann Arbor -- and he'll be a household name in no time.
No player climbed higher in a shorter span than Washington State star and Duke commit Cedric Coward, who rose from a potential second-round pick to a near-lock for the first round in just the past 30 days. His draft range now projects from the back end of the lottery to the mid-20s.
Coward announced earlier this week that he is staying in the draft, capping a meteoric rise that few anticipated a month ago, but one nearly everyone saw coming after his recent surge.
Returner most likely to swing NCAA title outcome: Milos UzanPurdue's Braden Smith and St. John's Zuby Ejiofor have cases here, but for my money, Milos Uzan's decision to return to Houston will have the biggest impact on the 2025-26 NCAA title race.
Houston won 35 games and finished as the national runner-up last season. Now, Uzan headlines of a returning core that includes Emanuel Sharp and JoJo Tugler. For good measure, the Cougars are also adding five-star freshman Chris Cenac Jr. and four-star prospects Isiah Harwell and Kingston Flemings. Good gravy.
Gary Parrish doesn't quite agree with my stance -- he has St. John's in the top spot and Houston at No. 2 in his latest Top 25 and 1 -- but there's no denying that Uzan running it back will heavily influence the championship picture next season. He'll be a potential preseason All-American and a first-round pick candidate in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Coming off a program-best 36-win season that wrapped with its first men's basketball national title since the Billy Donovan era, Florida, incredibly, may have pieced together a team nearly as formidable as the one that cut down the nets in San Antonio earlier this year. That's because despite losing Superman reincarnate Walter Clayton Jr., coach Todd Golden is bringing back Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon from the team's core and adding in Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee, among others.
Fland, Condon, Haugh and Lee are all future pros -- and I'd have guessed six months ago that three of those four would have been almost certainly NBA-bound, with Fland and Condon tracking at one point toward being top-20 picks.
Now they're all Gators. And good grief their prospects for next season just in the last week went from good to great.
Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty announced he is withdrawing from the draft and transferring to Kansas State to land him with his fourth school in four seasons after previous stops at TCU, Tulsa and Memphis. If this trend continues. ... He'll be a big name to watch in the portal again next year.
He's a big get for Kansas State after finishing as the third-leading scorer in college basketball last season and earning All-American honors. He elevate K-State's backcourt talent and shot-making right away.
Silkiest gamer set for star turn: Tahaad PettifordWith a robust NIL package believed to be north of $2 million, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford announced he'll run it back with the Tigers on deadline day. Pettiford played well at the Combine and might've done enough to be a first-round pick after a stellar freshman season. Instead, he's back in the college ranks for at least one more run, locking up the distinction of being my preseason pick for Most Silky Breakout Star in 2025.
He's going to be cinema next season leading a revamped Tigers roster.
Team we're not hyping up enough: KentuckyOtega Oweh's announcement of returning to college was a splashy win. But I'm not sure it was appreciated enough, given the other noisy decisions that came near the deadline. Oweh led Kentucky in points, minutes and steals and was generating second-round interest.
He's a very good player bubbling as a potential All-American candidate!
And it's like none of you care!
UK has a ton of good pieces on the way, and Oweh is set as a foundational element for what coach Mark Pope builds into his second year at the helm.
Coming off an All-American season at St. John's, Luis entered the transfer portal but, somewhat curiously, announced this week that he will remain in the NBA Draft. The decision came after he struggled to generate significant traction as a draft prospect.
He could still be selected in the second round -- especially with so many top players returning to school -- but given his college résumé and the likelihood of earning a seven-figure NIL deal, it's surprising to see him commit to the draft and bypass what appeared to be a substantial financial opportunity by returning to college.
Most likely to have the best dunk reel in the NBA: Drake PowellNorth Carolina wing Drake Powell posted modest numbers in his lone season with the Tar Heels, but he tested off the charts at the NBA Draft Combine. He led all participants in both the max vertical leap and no-step vertical leap.
Clearly, Powell felt he showed enough during the pre-draft process to fully commit, which he announced recently. It's only a matter of time before he's flying high and throwing down highlight-reel dunks at the next level. He's a mega-leaper who can soar -- and among the wings in this class. He might just produce the best dunk reel by the end of his career.
Most surprising decision: Labaron PhilonLate into the night on deadline day, Alabama guard Labaron Philon stunned the world and reversed course, flipping from a definitely-staying-in-the-draft commitment to a shocking return back to Alabama. Philon went on record at the Combine saying he was two toes into the draft and didn't plan to return to college, but it seems the Crimson Tide brass put together a last-minute NIL package to coax him back to Tuscaloosa for at least one more season.
Rarely do we get truly surprising news on deadline day; full disclosure, Pettiford, Oweh and Uzan all seemed to be trending toward a return to school. But Philon's qualifies as a stunner after maintaining he would stay in the draft and flipping in the final hour.
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