Trio of Prospects say They’re Sticking in 2026 NBA Draft

Three prospects are set to boost the mid-to-late first round in the 2026 draft.

Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) reacts in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The current NIL landscape has drastically altered the NBA Draft product.

Where players were previously eager to make their way to the league, fully focusing on basketball and making money while doing so, they now have options. NIL deals for the top players in basketball now offer even more than that of a late-first round pick, and its caused the depth of the 2026 class to thin as a whole.

Players like Thomas Haugh, Patrick Ngongba II, Juke Harris and more have all returned, with several more in limbo following the 2026 NBA Draft Combine. 

Still, the NBA is enticing. Even for those who could command millions of dollars at the college level. All three of Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie, North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar and Duke’s Isaiah Evans made declarations to stay in the draft at the combine this week.

Okorie is likely the most interesting of the trio, having thrown his name onto draft radars in his lone season with the Cardinal. The 6-foot-2 guard was not just one of the best scorers among freshman, but the nation as a whole. He averaged 23.2 points per game on 47% shooting, using his blistering straight-line speed to pressure the rim.

2026 Ebuka Okorie pic.twitter.com/1Qh02BYqfP

— Pitless (@pitlessball) April 9, 2026

His draft range is wide, with some valueing him highly due to his pure scoring, and others likely turned off by his size. His wingspan came back at nearly 6-foot-8, massively helping his case as a whole.

At 7-foot, Veesaar certainly helps the depth of the centers in the ’26 class, which have thinned significantly. He saw a brekaout season with North Carolina, averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, but most importantly shooting 43% from three on 3.0 attempts per game.

Aside from top-prospect Cameron Boozer, Veesaar offers the best stretch big in the class, making him a coveted asset late in the first round.

Duke wing Isaiah Evans saw the expected stats boost in Year 2 with the Blue Devils, averaging 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists alongside Cameron Boozer just one year after playing alongside Cooper Flagg. He’s a spindly but length player, having hit 36% from three on over seven attempts per game.

At this point, we're working on the word of these players, as they're still technically available to return to college. Though all three would be a massive boost to the class as a whole, especially as more are sure to follow in Haugh, Ngongba and Harris's footsteps in returning.