May 28, 2026
NCAA Basketball
Draft Withdrawal Deadline & Transfer Portal Drama
The landscape of the 2026 - 27 men's college basketball season underwent seismic shifts on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, as players faced the NCAA's official 11:59 p.m. ET deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain their collegiate eligibility. The deadline brought a mix of program-defining retentions, high-profile departures, and a massive bidding war in the transfer portal.
The Headliners: Stay-or-Go Decisions
Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State): Withdrew, returning to transfer portal
Matt Able (NC State): Withdrew, transferring to North Carolina
Koa Peat (Arizona): Staying in the Draft
Rueben Chinyelu (Florida): Withdrew, returning to Florida
Malachi Moreno (Kentucky): Withdrew, returning to Kentucky
Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State): Withdrew, returning to Michigan State
Milan Momcilovic Triggers a Transfer Bidding War
In a record-setting transfer portal recruitment, former Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic withdrew from the NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8 wing, rated as the No. 2 transfer for 2026, averaged 16.9 points last season and set a near-historic mark with 136 three-pointers at 48.6%. Lacking a first-round draft guarantee, he opted to return to college, with NIL valuations exceeding $7 million. Top programs like Kentucky, Louisville, St. John's, Arizona, and Texas Tech are competing for him.
Matt Able Boosts North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels received significant news as sophomore guard Matt Able withdrew from the NBA Draft. Standing 6 feet tall and previously at NC State, he averaged 8.8 points as a freshman. His return to college and enrollment at UNC is a major win for the first-year head coach Michael Malone, enhancing North Carolina's backcourt to become one of the strongest in the ACC.
Arizona Loses Koa Peat to the Pros
The Arizona Wildcats faced a setback as star forward Koa Peat opted to remain in the NBA Draft, despite his struggles at the combine. Projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick, his departure creates a significant frontcourt gap for Arizona. The team plans to address this by targeting Momcilovic in the transfer portal.
Retention Wins for Florida, Duke, and Kentucky
Program stability proved to be the winning formula for several top-tier programs:
Florida: The Gators secured a massive win with the return of reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu. Alongside returnees Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, Florida boasts arguably the premier frontcourt in college basketball, positioning them as a potential preseason No. 1 team.
Kentucky: Head coach Mark Pope earned a crucial retention victory when breakout center candidate Malachi Moreno withdrew from the draft. Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks as a freshman and is projected as a major frontcourt anchor for the Wildcats.
Michigan State: Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. officially announced his return to East Lansing, giving Tom Izzo a veteran floor general to lead the Spartans' backcourt next season.
High School Basketball
Final Illinois Class of 2026 Player Rankings
The Chicago Sun-Times released its final player evaluations for the graduating boys high school basketball Class of 2026 as these athletes prepare to join their collegiate programs this summer. Evaluators noted that this class showed immense developmental progress, resulting in a higher-than-expected total of 24 Division I signees from the state.
The top five players in the final rankings are:
1.) Jamison White (6-8, East St. Louis): The athletic forward led the Flyers to a 3A state title and claimed the No. 1 spot. Formerly committed to Penn State, White will stay home to play for Saint Louis University.
2.) Lincoln Williams (6-6, Kankakee): An uncommitted wing prospect possessing elite size, length, and athleticism who averaged 24 points per game to become Kankakee's all-time leading scorer.
3.) Mason Lockett (6-5, Oswego East): A versatile perimeter player committed to DePaul whose size and feel for the game suggest a high collegiate ceiling.
4.) Marquis Clark (6-1, Young): A tough, shifty point guard committed to Tennessee who carried his team with massive scoring outputs.
5.) Rashaun Porter (6-7, DePaul Prep): A physical defender and rebounder committed to Toledo, recognized as a player that can impact the game with his intangibles.
NFHS Announces Rules Changes for the 2026 - 27 Season
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee announced five major rules changes for the 2026 - 27 season, focusing heavily on clock adjustments and supporting game officials.
Key changes include:
The Tenths-of-a-Second Rule (Rule 5-9-5): In the final 59.9 second of any quarter or overtime period, a minimum of 0.3 seconds must expire from the game clock once the ball is legally touched inbounds after a throw-in. This provides a standardized minimum time for catch-and-touch situations.
Silent Count for Clock Malfunctions (Rule 5-10-2 Note): Officials are now authorized to use an official silent count as "definitive knowledge" to correct timing errors if a game clock fails to start or stop properly.
Technical Foul Offsets (Rule 8-6-4): Establishes a single dead-ball period when determining if technical fouls committed by opposing teams cancel out, resuming play immediately at the point of interruption.
Throw-in Violation Locations (Rule 9-2 Penalty): Clarifies that the ensuing throw-in spot following an infraction remains at the original designated throw-in spot.
These rules will govern high school basketball nationwide starting next season, affecting over 890,000 participating students across the United States.
Sources: - Salerno, C. (2026, May 27). NBA Draft withdrawal deadline winners and losers: Arizona loses Koa Peat: Duke, Florida retain key pieces. CBS Sports. https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/nba-draft-withdrawal-deadline-winners-and-losers-arizona-koa-peat-duke-florida/
ESPN. (2026, May 27). Milan Momcilovic withdraws from NBA draft, set for college return. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48895812/milan-momcilovic-top-player-transfer-portal-withdraws-nba-draft-play-college-basketball-next-season
Trotter, I. (2026, May 27). Milan Momcilovic withdraws from NBA Draft: Kentucky, Louisville, Arizona pursuing Iowa State star. CBS Sports. https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/milan-momcilovic-withdraw-nba-draft-kentucky-louisville-arizona/
Tar Heel Times. (2026, May 27). Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Matt Able's Decision Changes Everything for UNC Basketball. Tar Heel Times. https://www.tarheeltimes.com/article166618.aspx
Tar Heel Times. (2026, May 27). UNC Basketball Announces Signing of Matt Able. Tar Heel Times. https://www.tarheeltimes.com/article166618.aspx
Associated Press. (2026, May 22). Florida center Rueben Chinyelu is coming back for his senior season. FOX Sports. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/vcollege-basketball-2025-2026-buzz
FOX Sports. (2026, May 27). Michigan State Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. Returns for 2026-27 Season, FOX Sports. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/michigan-state-jeremy-fears-return-spartans-impact-tom-izz0
Chicago Sun-Times. (2026, May 27). Final rankings for the boys high school basketball Class of 2026. Chicago Sun-Times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-basketball/2026/05/27/high-school-basketball-rankings-illinois-2026
National Federation of State High School Associations. (2026, May 27) Clock Adjustments Addressed to Support Officials in 20206-27 High School Basketball Rules Changes. Ohio High School Athletic Association. https://www.ohsaa.org/news-media/articles/clock-adjustments-addressed-to-support-officials-in-2026-27-high-school-basketball-rules-changes