Declare or return? Looking into decisions of the best prospects from March Madness, including Zach Edey, Markquis Nowell and more

As the college basketball season winds down, many players face a tough decision: whether to declare the NBA draft or return to school for another season.

The draft is June 22, and players must declare by April 23.

The NBA draft combine will take place in Chicago, Illinois, from May 15-21. After the combine, players will then have the ability to remove their name from the draft and return to school, but they must do so by May 31.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest names from March Madness who have a big decision to make.

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#1, Zach Edey, junior, Purdue

The tallest man in college basketball did not get to make a big splash in the NCAA Tournament after Purdue fell in a stunning upset to Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round. Edey has the size, at 7-foot-4, to play in the NBA but still needs to work on his agility to make it to the next level.

Edey, named the national player of the year by Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, is likely to return to Purdue as he is a projected second-round pick at best. The Big Ten Player of the Year has also already shut down rumors that he is entering the transfer portal.

zach

@zach_edey

My sources are telling me this is false twitter.com/dandakich/stat…

Dan Dakich

@dandakich

My people are telling me Zach Edey is in the transfer portal
The transfer portal and NIL suck

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My people are telling me Zach Edey is in the transfer portal
The transfer portal and NIL suck

My sources are telling me this is false twitter.com/dandakich/stat…

#2, Markquis Nowell, senior, Kansas State

The flashy point guard garnered a lot of attention with his dynamic playmaking and stature in the tournament. Nowell led Kansas State to the Elite Eight, taking down Kentucky and Michigan State along the way. He averaged 17.6 points and 8.3 assists per game this season.

The third-team All-American declared for the draft by issuing a lengthy farewell message on his Instagram, thanking Kansas State for his years at the school. He is projected to go undrafted. At 5-8, Nowell would be the shortest player in the NBA, and his size will make it hard for him to find a place on a NBA roster.

NCAA March Madness

@MarchMadnessMBB

MARKQUIS NOWELL. ABSOLUTELY UNREAL.

#MarchMadness @KStateMBB

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MARKQUIS NOWELL. ABSOLUTELY UNREAL.

#MarchMadness @KStateMBB https://t.co/iuih64m4Ex

#3, Brandon Miller, freshman, Alabama

Adrian Wojnarowski

@wojespn

University of Alabama forward Brandon Miller – the No. 3 prospect in latest @DraftExpress mock draft – is entering the 2023 NBA Draft, he told ESPN on Thursday. Miller has made a strong case to teams to go second overall behind generational No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in June.

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University of Alabama forward Brandon Miller – the No. 3 prospect in latest @DraftExpress mock draft – is entering the 2023 NBA Draft, he told ESPN on Thursday. Miller has made a strong case to teams to go second overall behind generational No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama in June. https://t.co/JIOajIq14b

Miller, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and a second-team All-American, was a star all season for the Crimson Tide, averaging 18.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg. He struggled a bit in the NCAA Tournament as Alabama fell in the Sweet 16.

Miller declared for the NBA draft on Thurdsay and is unlikely to return to Alabama. The player is a projected top three draft pick, likely to get drafted behind top prospects Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. His size and versatility is the perfect physical fit for today’s game in the NBA.

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