Arkansas' Meleek Thomas, Arizona's Koa Peat to Remain in 2026 NBA Draft

One of the final steps of the pre-draft process is finally complete.

The deadline for NCAA prospects to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft, May 27, has passed, giving NBA teams a clear picture of who will be available in this summer's class.

Multiple big names, including a few potential first-round picks, elected to return to school, as Amari Allen, Tounde Yessoufou, Milan Momcilovic, Tyler Tanner, Jeremy Fears Jr., Billy Richmond III and Andrej Stojakovic, will play another year of college basketball.

While most players who faced difficult "stay or go" decisions chose to stay in school, a few prospects revealed that they will remain in the 2026 class. On May 26, Santa Clara's Allen Graves and Texas Tech's Christian Anderson made their decisions to stay in the draft public, while Stanford's Ebuka Okorie previously reaffirmed his status in the 2026 class.

Following the withdrawal deadline, two more players who had compelling cases to spend another year at the NCAA level also announced their decisions. Arizona's Koa Peat and Arkansas' Meleek Thomas, who each turned in productive freshman campaigns, are reportedly staying in the 2026 draft class.

Arizona freshman Koa Peat will keep his name in the NBA draft, source tells @247Sports https://t.co/Ra9CKgVCbi pic.twitter.com/oOeEinKqHc
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) May 28, 2026

NEWS: Arkansas' Meleek Thomas kept his name in the 2026 NBA Draft at the NCAA withdrawal deadline, a source told DraftExpress.

The 6'4, 19-year-old guard made the SEC All-Rookie team, averaging 15.6 PPG on 42% from 3 in 31 MPG. pic.twitter.com/pS4vOCCjzQ
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 28, 2026

Peat was one of the more polarizing cases in the 2026 cycle, as many observers thought the former five-star recruit needed another year in college to improve as a shooter.

So, minimal jump shots here obviously. Have heard he didn't shoot it well.

But again, to me and to NBA teams, results here weren't the main concern, mechanics were. And my immediate reaction is why in the world is Koa Peat's guide hand now almost in front of the ball? https://t.co/ZA0l7NNQpR
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) May 23, 2026

Peat has also dropped out of the lottery in mock drafts, including the latest projection from Derek Parker at NBA Draft on SI, which slotted Peat at No. 29 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In his lone season with the Wildcats, Peat averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 52.8% from the field and 35% from 3-point range on 0.6 attempts per game. At the NBA Combine, the young forward measured 6-foot-7 without shoes, recording a 6-foot-11 and a quarter of an inch wingspan while weighing 245 pounds.

Peat's athleticism and psychical tools could make him an impactful player at the next level, but the potential first-round pick will likely need to improve as a shooter to become a regular rotation piece.

Thomas, on the other hand, averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals in his lone season at Arkansas, shooting 43.5% from the field and 41.6% from beyond the arc on more than five attempts per game.

The former five-star recruit measured 6-foot-3 at the combine, notching a 6-foot-6 and three quarters of an inch wingspan and weighing 189 pounds.

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