2 shocking NBA Draft decisions had projected 1st round picks return to college for NIL bags

The Name, Image, and Likeness money flowing through men’s college basketball has completely changed the landscape of the sport. Now NIL is impacting the NBA, too.

The early entry withdrawal deadline to maintain college eligibility passed on Wednesday night, and it caused a huge blow to the depth of the 2025 NBA Draft class. So many potential draft picks decided to return to college for big money instead of turning pro. Florida big man Alex Condon, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford, and San Diego State wing Miles Byrd were among the most surprising decisions to return to college, while Florida guard Boogie Fland, Houston guard Milos Uzan, NC State forward Darrion Williams, and Arkansas forward Karter Knox each could have been draftable this year, too.

Each of these decisions is a big blow to NBA teams holding picks in the late-first or second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Still, two decisions to return to college stand out above the rest because both players felt like a strong bet to end up as first-round picks this year.

Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg and Alabama guard Labaron Philon sent shockwaves through the NBA Draft community with their decisions to return to school. SB Nation’s most recent mock draft had Philon going No. 17 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lendeborg was ranked No. 26 overall on ESPN’s big board, which is largely informed by intel from pro teams.

Philon and Lendeborg choosing to go back to school the best example yet of how NIL is killing the depth of the NBA Draft. The early entry numbers for the 2025 draft were already at a decade-low even before the withdrawal deadline. Here’s why Philon and Lendeborg made particularly interesting decisions.

Labaron Philon returns to Alabama over entering 2025 NBA Draft

Philon was a personal favorite of mine in the 2025 NBA Draft class. I consistently mocked him in the top-20 throughout the season after a strong freshman year for Alabama that saw him make a two-way impact in a big role for an elite team.

Philon was an easy first-round pick to me for his ‘wiggle’ and burst as a driver, his tough on-ball defense, and his skill for making kick-out passes to the arc after driving into the paint. His jump shot remains a work-in-progress after making only 31.5 percent of his 124 attempts from three-point range, and that’s likely the biggest thing the NBA was questioning.

Philon told reporters at the draft combine that he was fully committed to staying in the draft, and that the door was closed on his return to Alabama. What changed?

Philon made his decision to return right before the midnight deadline. This is a premium example of Alabama coming over the top with a ton of NIL money that clearly outweighed whatever he was going to make from his draft slot.

Philon’s return is gigantic for Alabama, and potentially saves them from a down season. The Crimson Tide were already set to lose program legend Mark Sears in the backcourt. Philon now fills his role as a lead guard, and he has some decent pieces around him. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (coming off an Achilles tear) and Aden Holloway return in the backcourt, while Aiden Sherrell is back at forward for his sophomore season. Alabama also brought in big man Noah Williamson, forward Taylor Bol Bol, and guard Jalil Bethea from the transfer portal.

This doesn’t look like a Final Four caliber roster, but Philon’s return gives them a chance to compete in the SEC.

NBA teams weren’t quite as high on Philon as some evaluators. Philon was ranked No. 43 overall on ESPN’s draft board. He was at No. 29 overall on the consensus board from Rookie Scale before his return to college. Still, many draftniks had Philon as a potential lottery pick this year, making his departure from this draft class a huge bummer.

Philon will be a projected lottery pick on our first 2026 NBA Draft board next month. It’s still shocking to see him return to school.

Yaxel Lendeborg makes Michigan a national title contender

Lendeborg was the highest-ranked player on ESPN’s board to return to school at No. 26 overall. His decision to play for Michigan next year makes the Wolverines an elite team in the Big Ten, and a legitimate national championship threat.

We ranked Lendeborg as the best player in the transfer portal once he decided to leave UAB. His commitment to Michigan was a huge coup for head coach Dusty May, but we were immediately skeptical that he would ever step foot on campus again. Still, with Lendeborg technically on board, we ranked Michigan as having the No. 1 transfer portal class in 2025.

Lendeborg’s decision to bypass the NBA for a year at Michigan is a massive win for college basketball and the NIL era. Yes, he will start the year as a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but now he will be a 24-year-old rookie once he enters the league. Lendeborg has a remarkably well-rounded game on both ends of the floor for a player with his size (6’9 with a 7’4 wingspan), but he can still get better as a shooter, and pro teams may have been worried he’s a bit stuck in between positions.

If you thought Danny Wolf was impressive as a transfer at Michigan this past season, just wait until you see Lendeborg in maize and blue. His combination of power and skill is impossible to match at the college level, and he’s just as good on defense as he is on offense. It’s stunning to see this type of talent return to college rather than go to the NBA, but NIL is making it a brand new ball game.

At least until the House settlement gets determined, the money in college basketball has truly overwhelmed the NBA for players projected outside of the lottery.