NBA Draft Deadline Pushed Back
Luka Garza will get more time to decide whether he wants to stay in the NBA Draft.
The NCAA announced on Wednesday that the deadline for players to withdraw from the draft will be pushed back from its original June 3 date.
Dave Gavitt, NCAA senior vice-president of basketball, made this statement:
“The NCAA’s deadline for men’s basketball student-athletes to withdraw from the NBA draft and retain their eligibility will be pushed back from the current June 3 date. This modification is being made with the health and well-being of our student-athletes in mind, along with their ability to make the most informed decisions during this uncertain time, and is based on the recent announcement by the NBA to postpone the 2020 NBA Draft Combine. Out of respect to the NBA’s process, the decision on a new withdrawal date will be made once the league has determined a timeline for the 2020 pre-draft process. Working in collaboration with National Association of Basketball Coaches Executive Director Jim Haney and the rest of the coaches’ leadership, the NCAA membership will ensure that any change supports a player’s decision-making process related to professional opportunities while also protecting their academic pursuits and the opportunity to play college basketball.”
Garza, Iowa's junior center who was named the Big Ten player of the year and won national player of the year honors from six media outlets, entered the NBA Draft process for feedback, but said he would not hire an agent and retain his eligibility. If he returns as expected, the Hawkeyes will have all five starters back from a team that won 20 games this season.
Recruiting dead period extended
The NCAA has also extended the Division I dead period for recruiting to June 30.
On-campus and in-person visits have been prohibited by the NCAA since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NCAA announced the Division I Council Coordination Committee will review the dead period dates on May 27 and could extend the dead period at that time.
