Four Players with NBA Draft Decisions to Make

With NIL deals reaching millions, forgoing the draft is more lucrative than ever before.

Mar 16, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) drives to the basket as Memphis Tigers forward Nicholas Jourdain (2) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

During the amateur era of collegiate athletics, men's basketball stars would have jumped at the chance to be a second-round pick in the NBA Draft – after all, it was a paycheck, and a chance to compete at the world's highest level.

Draft compensation was enough to push any prospect into the league as early as possible, but the 2021 Supreme Court ruling that changed the definition of "student-athlete" allowed college players to be paid for the name, image, and likeness (NIL).

In the current college basketball landscape, players are signing multimillion-dollar deals with programs, contracts that rival – and often, surpass – second-round contracts, creating an interesting dilemma for borderline first-rounders.

There are plenty of high-impact players with remaining eligibility that will hover around the top 30 picks, but may not be promised anything, forcing them to choose whether to leave college early, or spend another year and earn NIL dollars. Here are four players who have a decision to make on whether or not to declare.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Forward, Alabama-Birmingham (Graduate)

Lendeborg has been an absolute force during his time at UAB, and this past season, averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.1 stocks per game while shooting 52% from the field. He helped lead the Blazers to the American Athletic Conference Championship, where htey lost to Memphis, 84-72. Lendeborg has professional upside, but is also set up to be one of the biggest NIL bidding wars in the sport for next season, meaning he will have decisions to make depending on his combine results.

Miles Byrd, Wing, San Diego State (Junior)

San Diego State wing Miles Byrd has had an up-and-down season that featured peaks, where he was mentioned as a possible lottery pick, and valleys, where people discussed whether he should return to college for another season. He averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season but shot just 38% from the field. Defensively, he was excellent, using a 6-foot-8 frame and wingspan to contest shots and his great footwork to stay in front of opposing players.

Tahaad Pettiford, Guard, Auburn (Sophomore)

Tahaad Pettiford is the only one in this group that is still playing basketball, as Auburn takes on Florida in the Final Four on Saturday. Pettiford is a lightning rod, an electrifying scorer with elite handles, off-the-dribble shooting ability, and top-end quickness. Pettiford's biggest drawback is that he stands at just 6-foot-1, meaning he can be hunted on switches defensively in the NBA. Whether he returns to Auburn or goes pro remains to be seen.

Isaiah Evans, Wing, Duke (Sophomore)

Evans was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, only to fall behind Kon Knueppel on the Duke depth chart this season. While he did not play consistently, Evans had a couple of breakout performances that indicated what he could be capable of at the next level: an elite three-point shooting threat with offensive upside. The decision is a tough one for Evans, as he did not receive as much shine as he would have elsewhere. Some scouts think he has shown enough already, while some thing he needs more development in Jon Scheyer's system.

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