3 More Players Who Participated in 2026 NBA Summer League Return to NCAA

After playing in this year's Summer League, Jaden Henley and Jaxon Kohler are back in the NCAA.

Dec 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Grand Canyon University Antelopes guard Jaden Henley (10) shoots a free throw against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half at PHX Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The college sports landscape continues to change.

After the transfer portal and NIL significantly altered the NCAA in recent years, another new ruling has caused more ripples throughout college sports.

Recent court decisions have granted a fifth year of eligibility to multiple athletes from the 2022 recruiting class who have already played four years in the NCAA, including a handful of talented college basketball players.

Texas Tech signed two of its former players, Darrion Williams and Donovan Atwell, after Atwell spent the 2026 NBA Summer League with the Chicago Bulls. Louisville added former North Carolina point guard Seth Trimble after the former four-star recruit played for the Washington Wizards in the Summer League.

Now, three more players who participated in this year's Summer League are heading back to college basketball after strong 2025-26 campaigns.

Jaden Henley averaged 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 46.6% from the field and 26.8% from 3-point range as a senior at Grand Canyon. Following a strong year with the Antelopes, Henley compete at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament before going undrafted in the 2026 class.

Henley went on to sign a Summer League contract with the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from the field in 11.8 minutes per game across five contests.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds, Henley offers good size and could turn in another productive season in college after returning to Grand Canyon.

After four years at Michigan State, Jaxon Kohler played with the Utah Jazz in the Summer League, averaging 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field in 11.7 minutes per game across two contests in Las Vegas.

Kohler will return to college basketball, but instead of playing for the Spartans again, the veteran big man will transfer to BYU for the upcoming season, joining potential lottery pick Bruce Branch III.

Elijah Mahi averaged 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a senior at Santa Clara before joining Oklahoma City's roster for the Summer League. Mahi didn't make much of a statistical impact for the Thunder, and now plans on returning to the Broncos.

According to a new court ruling handed down on Friday, Aug. 21, though, players from the class of 2022 are temporarily ineligible while the legal battle continues. If Henley, Mahi and Kohler are able to play again in 2026-27, however, all three could elevate their stock enough to be drafted in 2027.