The NBA Draft Combine began this week in Chicago, Illinois, just days after the league presented its annual Draft Lottery on ESPN to determine the order for the first 14 picks.
Once all of that was settled, various analysts and websites began revealing their mock drafts, projecting where each college basketball prospect might land in the NBA.
The early consensus for many mock drafts is BYU’s AJ Dybantsa going first, followed by Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson, and Duke’s Cam Boozer. After that, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. should go off the board to complete the first five picks.
Things began to change outside of those first five picks, and especially as teams draft deeper into the order. Some players might realize they don’t like where they are projected and opt to return for another season of college basketball.
At least one such player is already being spotlighted, as Arizona Wildcats freshman Koa Peat is considered among those on “Withdrawal watch,” which could bring him back for another NCAA run.
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This past season, Peat was continually projected among the top 10 picks, but he’s slipped in the past month or so. He helped guide his team to the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament championship, as well as the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four as a No. 1 seed.
He apparently tested well athletically, but ESPN says he’s on watch to withdraw from the NBA draft due to recent concerns about his shooting, evidenced by his performance in drills.
He shot just 6-for-25 during the 3-point star drill and 6-for-25 in the spot-up shooting drill, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. Along with that, Borzello said Peat “didn’t look entirely comfortable” with his shot, which had changed in terms of the quickness and release point since this past season with Arizona.
In the 2025-26 season, he shot 52.8 percent from the field, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. ESPN lists him as the 22nd-best player available from this year’s draft class.
An NBADraft.net mock draft lists Peat as the No. 27 pick, and compares him to lesser-known players Chuck Hayes and Trevor Booker.
Peat has two weeks to make his draft decision, and if his advisors suggest he needs more work on his craft, returning to college could be a smart move.
UConn’s Braylon Mullins was projected as a lottery pick and put himself in the spotlight with a huge shot to defeat Duke in the NCAA Tournament, but still opted to return for his sophomore season to improve his game.
The same is true of UConn’s Alex Karaban. While he was never considered a lottery pick, he felt he needed more development and a chance to show his abilities in college, so he returned for a fourth year.
Peat likely wouldn’t stay that long, but another season seems like it could help more than hurt if he wants to go higher in the draft order.
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For more about the NBA Draft, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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