With the NBA Draft approaching in less than a month, several prominent NCAA players have decided to remove their names and return to college in the fall of 2025. In this article, we’ll break down our top five standout players who have made the decision to head back to school.
The 2025 NBA Draft is set for June 25.
1.Tahaad Pettiford, 6-1 PG (Auburn), True Freshman
Pettiford had a good year at Auburn off the bench for an eventual Final 4 team. Pettiford is a lightning-quick guard who shined at the combine with good measurements and displayed elite athleticism. Pettiford was a late first-round to early second-round pick with promises from several teams before electing to return to school. The biggest hump for Tahaad at the combine is his small stature, measuring just over 6 feet tall without shoes. With the advice and coaching from the combine, Pettiford is primed for a breakout sophomore year at Auburn that will likely propel him into the first round and possibly into the lottery in 2026.
2. Milos Uzan, 6-4 PG (Houston), Junior
Uzan returning to school makes Houston a big winner heading into the 2025-2026 season. Houston is fresh off a loss in the national championship game and now will have its starting point guard back to go along with the second best recruiting class in the nation. There are several reasons for Uzan’s return. He struggled down the stretch for Houston in the tournament and didn’t perform well at the combine, as he was pegged as a potential second round pick. Uzan will see his usage increase this season as, L.J. Cryer is gone. Uzan will be the focal point for running the Houston offense. Houston will add several potential first round picks to its 2025-26 roster, allowing Uzan an entire season to play alongside future NBA talent.
3. Boogie Fland, 6-2 PG (Arkansas), Freshman
Fland made a big splash returning to college, as he transferred to the University of Florida to fill one of the guard spots for the reigning NCAA champions. Fland had a strong year at Arkansas, averaging 13.5 points and more than five assists per game. At one point this year, Fland was projected to go in the first round, but an injury that required surgery in the middle of January caused him to miss all of February, and his stock suffered. Unlike others on this list, Fland withdrew from the draft during the combine. Fland was in the portal early and labeled as a do-not-contact, as he seemed to know his destination was decided.
4. Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-9 PF (Michigan), Fifth-Year Senior
Lendeborg distinguishes himself from others on this list as he was a strong candidate to be a first round pick heading into the 2025 NBA Draft. He displayed significant improvement over the past few seasons at UAB, earning accolades such as AAC Tournament MVP, All-AAC, and AAC Defensive Player of the Year. Lendeborg has proven to be an intriguing prospect in college, possessing impressive size and length on both ends of the court. After announcing his return, Lendeborg will return to Michigan this season after entering the transfer portal. After testing well and showing promise at the combine, Lendeborg will likely continue to climb draft boards this upcoming season, keeping him a prime first round candidate in 2026.
5. Labaron Philon, 6-4 SG (Alabama), Freshman
Philon is another player who, at one point, was projected as a first round pick to withdraw from this year’s draft. Philon had a solid year at Alabama, averaging 10 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. The bigger issues for Philon coming into the draft were his lack of explosiveness and outside shooting. Despite some of his weaknesses, Philon thrived as a freshman in a lead role for an Elite 8 team. Philon shocked the basketball world by returning to school, but he will be a focal point in the Alabama offense this upcoming season. Philon will have the tools and knowledge going into his sophomore campaign to fine-tune his issues and improve his draft stock for 2026.
