Biggest decisions ahead of 2026 NBA Draft Combine: Who is staying in the draft? Who is returning to college?

Milan Momcilovic, Allen Graves, Amari Allen and Malachi Moreno are among several top prospects who will have a decision to make after this week's NBA Draft Combine: Stay in the draft or return to school.

Isaac Trotter

Cameron Salerno

May 11, 2026

10:57 am ET

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15 min read

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The NBA Draft Combine will take place this week in Chicago. It will serve as an opportunity for teams to get an up-close look at some of the best prospects in this year's draft class while they compete against each other. It will also serve as a measuring stick for players on the fence about their respective stay-or-go decision.

So, who are the biggest names to watch? Keep an eye on Arizona's Koa Peat, Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. and Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic. Peat and Johnson have been mocked as first-round picks by CBS Sports, while Momcilovic enters the Windy City trying to solidify his stock as a first-round pick. Momcilovic is arguably the best shooter in the NBA Draft and doubles as the top available player in the college basketball transfer portal. All three would project as All-Americans if they chose to return to college basketball next year.

Kentucky has a ton at stake this week. The Wildcats met with Momcilovic's representatives last week, and soon-to-be sophomore big man Malachi Moreno is also going through the draft process. Moreno is a projected second-round pick if he stays in the draft, but he's been a real riser in the pre-draft process. Kentucky's outlook changes dramatically if Moreno returns to Lexington, and it can reel in Momcilovic. But multiple dominoes have to fall correctly at the latest stage of the offseason.

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Then there are the players who are truly on the fence, headlined by Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou and Alabama's Amari Allen.

Projected first-rounders like UConn's Braylon Mullins, Florida's Thomas Haugh, Duke's Patrick Ngongba II and Arizona's Motiejus Krivas all returned to school without going through the combine, which opened up four more spots for hopefuls like Yessoufou and Allen. A strong week for Yessoufou could be a ding for transfer portal suitors, and Alabama desperately needs a second year of Allen if it hopes to compete for the SEC Championship.

These are massive wagers for both the players and the college programs.

With the NBA Combine this week and the deadline to officially withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain college eligibility approaching (May 27, 11:59 p.m. ET), we are previewing the biggest names who will have a stay-or-go decision to make. NIL is being used to retain top talent, and unless you have a guarantee inside the top 20 picks, you will likely make more money (albeit in the short-term) by running it back.

Let's dive in.

Likely staying in the draft, but never say never

Koa Peat, Arizona

CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 11

Peat could easily be the most impactful returnee in college basketball. This isn't really a new or hot take. I talked about Peat's as a name to watch as a stay-or-go decision last month. Another season of college basketball would do him wonders. If he improves his shot from outside of the paint, Peat would be a potential top-five pick next summer. His return to college seems unlikely, but this week will be illuminating. If Peat gets feedback that he's outside the top-20, a return to Arizona would make sense. Tommy Lloyd has a spot for Peat, both in the starting lineup and at the top of the budget. The Wildcats would be a top-5 team in America with Peat back in the fold, and he'd be a frontrunner for National Player of the Year. -- Cameron Salerno

Nate Ament, Tennessee

CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 9

Ament entered the season as a projected top 10 pick. Despite his freshman season at Tennessee being a mixed bag, he did show significant signs of improvement throughout the year and could be a potential lottery pick. The one knock on Ament's season was the efficiency, as he shot less than 40% from the floor. Ament did shoot 79% on 7.1 attempts per game from the free-throw line, which is a positive sign for his long-term development as a shooter. Tennessee has spent nearly $20 million in the transfer portal this offseason, so it's hard to envision Ament returning at this point, and he chose not to enter the transfer portal. He's all-in on the draft. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish and Adam Finkelstein both have Ament going No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks in their latest mock drafts following the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday -- Salerno

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Dailyn Swain, Texas

CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 27

Swain is expected to stay in the NBA Draft after a breakout jun