Vanderbilt Basketball Intel: Tyler Tanner Still Chasing The NBA Dream Ahead of NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline

Vanderbilt basketball guard Tyler Tanner still isn't showing his hand yet ahead of the stay-go NBA Draft deadline.

Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner (3) bolts past Kentucky guard Collin Chandler (5) during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASHVILLE—Tyler Tanner isn’t giving up on the NBA dream just yet. 

Per a report from Memphis News’ Memphis Grizzlies beat writer Damichael Cole, Tanner participated in a predraft workout with the Grizzlies alongside Indiana big man Sam Alexis, Marquette guard Chase Ross and Louisville guard J’Vonne Hadley ahead of Wednesday’s stay-go deadline.

Tanner has been clear throughout the process that he'd like to stay in the NBA Draft if possible and has made decisions throughout the process that back up his words. It's not as if Tanner is opposed to a return to Vanderbilt, but he's repeatedly indicated that his dream is to play in the NBA. His actions on Wednesday indicate the same, although the indication is that Tanner going through the workout doesn't mean he's not returning to Vanderbilt.

Multiple sources have told Vandy on SI that Tanner returning to Vanderbilt is where the greatest probability lies. The majority of sources believe that Tanner will withdraw from the draft before Wednesday night's deadline to do so. Anything can happen at this stage, though, particularly since Tanner has been solely focused on positioning himself to maximize going through the draft process over the past few weeks.

“The quote that I live by is live where your feet are,” Tanner told Vandy on SI during the NCAA Tournament in a quote that still defines his predraft process. “I've learned a lot about balance and everything through it. A lot of it's just leaning on the people close to me about it.”

If Tanner stayed in the draft, he'd be at risk of falling out of the first round and would be leaving significant security and a chance to be one of the most highly-regarded guards in a less dense class at the position a year from now. All 10 NBA executives polled by Field of 68 insider Jeff Goodman indicated that Tanner should return to Vanderbilt for one more season. Tanner doesn't appear to be entirely closed off to entering the draft without a first-round guarantee, though.

The indication is that Tanner and his camp--particularly his agent at CAA Sports--are cognizant of the benefits of a potential return to Vanderbilt, but have kept their ears out for intel from NBA teams that could allow him to justify keeping his name in the draft. Tanner has had his eyes set on the NBA, but sources tell Vandy on SI that he would be the most highly-compensated player in Vanderbilt basketball history if he were to return to school. Tanner isn't ignorant to that potential reality.

He's a polarizing prospect to NBA evaluators in that he has demonstrated off the bounce scoring ability and playmaking that could make him an impactful NBA player immediately, but is undersized and didn't silence evaluators' concerns as he went for just two points in one of the two NBA Combine scrimmages he participated in and allowed former Tennessee guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie to go for 28 points in the other.

Tanner averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48.5% from the field as well as 36.8% from 3-point range in his sophomore year at Vanderbilt. Now, he holds the keys to its season.

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