NBA Draft 2024 withdrawal deadline winners and losers: UConn gets a starter back; Memphis star not returning

Wednesday marked the last chance for college basketball players to withdraw from the NBA Draft, and the deadline was delivered with some drama as several big names took their decisions to the extreme. But when the dust settled and the 2024 draft crystallized, college basketball as a whole proved to be a winner.

Among the big names who opted to return were All-Americans like Alabama’s Mark Sears and Arizona’s Caleb Love. Both have been scoring points in college basketball for years and have been to the Final Fours during their already illustrious careers. Now, both will return to enjoy their fifth and final season of eligibility.

Just as Zach Edey’s 2023 decision to return for a fourth season at Purdue proved to be consequential, the decisions Sears and Love announced Wednesday it could still be reverberating across the sport when the 2025 Final Four rolls around. But of course it wasn’t all good news for everyone in the country.

Some programs have seen top contributors opt to remain in the draft. Given the relative dearth of talent remaining in the transfer portal, replacing an NBA-bound player at this time of year could be difficult.

Here are the winners and losers of a draft deadline that brought us one step closer to a complete picture of what college basketball rosters will look like in the 2024-25 season.

Winner: Tide Rolling with Return of Sears, Stevenson

The Crimson Tide secured their biggest win of the offseason on Wednesday when Sears announced it would withdraw from the NBA Draft and returning to school. Sears was one of the best players in college basketball last season, and his return could put Alabama in contention to be the No. 1-ranked team in the preseason this fall.

Additionally, Jarin Stevenson — a previously highly touted recruit from the 2023 recruiting cycle who starred in Alabama’s Elite Eight victory over Clemson — will also return. Stevenson primarily came off the bench during his freshman season and should see his role increase because of his ability to stretch the floor. Alabama reached the Final Four for the first time in program history last month and is on track to return to the final weekend of college basketball. –Cameron Salerno

Loser: Memphis loses potential AAC POTY

With 2023-24 AAC Co-Players of the Year Chris Youngblood (South Florida to Alabama) and Johnell Davis (FAU to Arkansas) both transferring out of the league, David Jones was in prime position to be the AAC preseason player of the year if he had returned to Memphis. Instead, the 6-5 guard remains in the draft. Jones led the league with 21.8 points per game during the 2023-24 season, and his departure leaves the Tigers with a significant hole to fill. Seventh-year coach Penny Hardaway has done a good job rebuilding her team with big-time transfers like PJ Haggerty (Tulsa), Tyrese Hunter (Texas) and Dain Dainja (Illinois). But now there may be some pressure on him to round out this list with an additional dose of portal pop. -David Cobb

Winner: Arizona gets some love heading into the Big 12

Tommy Lloyd and company got a big boost on Wednesday when Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love announced his return to Arizona. Love had a chance to turn pro, but will return to school to help usher in a new era of Arizona basketball as the program joins the Big 12 ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Love would have had a difficult climb to gain a significant role in the NBA during his rookie season and will instead be one of the favorites to win the Naismith College Player of the Year award. Kylan Boswell, Pelle Larsson Oumar Ballo and Keshad Johnson may be gone, but bringing Love back ensures the Wildcats will compete for a Big 12 title in year one. – Salerno

Loser: Illinois will see Hawkins play elsewhere

Illinois star Coleman Hawkins withdrew from the NBA Draft on Wednesday but will play his final college season elsewhere. After going through the pre-draft process for the second year in a row, Hawkins opted to return to school and will be one of the top transfer portal targets available. Hawkins is a veteran forward who has shown the ability to stretch the floor and defend multiple positions. Hawkins played a key role in Illinois reaching the Elite Eight last season and now he will focus on finding his next (and final) home. – Salerno

Winner: UConn gets at least one starter back

Had Alex Karaban opted to remain in the NBA Draft, UConn would have launched its three-peat national title bid without a single starter returning from its 2023-24 roster. But with Karaban’s announcement that he is withdrawing from the draft, the Huskies have a reliable veteran to anchor their 2024-25 roster. Karaban averaged 13.3 points on 37.9% 3-point shooting for UConn as a redshirt sophomore and was particularly effective from beyond the arc against Big East opponents.

The Huskies have bounced back impeccably well from the losses of stalwarts Andre Jackson, Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo following the 2022-23 season. Karaban’s return helps position them to be national contenders once again, even after another strong losing streak in the 2023-24 season. -Cobb

Loser: Dayton’s Holmes remains in draft

DaRon Holmes made the right decision and should be rewarded once the draft rolls around. Still, it’s a tough day for Dayton. Holmes was the 2024 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and a three-time all-conference performer. Without him, the Flyers will enter a new era with a huge hole to fill. Coach Anthony Grant signed Butler transfer guard Posh Alexander and Ohio State transfer forward Zed Key into the portal, so the Flyers should remain competitive. But there isn’t a scorer or protector of Holmes’ caliber projected to make next year’s team, let alone someone who can do both. -Cobb

Winner: Texas Tech gets young star in Toppin

JT Toppin did not enter the transfer portal by April 30th, just one day before the deadline. But after winning Mountain West Rookie of the Year, the 6-9 forward immediately became one of the hottest names on the market.

However, there was a big problem for the college teams vying for his services: He also chose to explore the NBA Draft. In doing so, Toppin impressed NBA scouts and established himself as a draft-worthy prospect. But this week’s news that he signed with Texas Tech marked a huge coup for second-year coach Grant McCasland as he looks to build on a 23-11 debut campaign that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Toppin should play a prominent role for the Red Raiders and could reach an even better draft position in the coming years. -Cobb

Winner: Wake Forest brings back Sallis

In one of the surprising decisions of the day, Wake Forest star Hunter Sallis decided to skip the NBA Draft to return to school for another season. The former Gonzaga forward found a home with the Demon Deacons last season and averaged 18 points and 4.1 rebounds. Sallis immediately becomes a leading candidate for the ACC Player of the Year award. Sallis was ranked 50th in CBS Sports’ NBA Draft Prospect Rankings. – Salerno