Several early entry prospects officially confirmed this week at the NBA Draft Combine that they will remain in the 2026 NBA Draft rather than return to college basketball or overseas competition.
Among the players announcing their decisions were Ebuka Okorie of Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball, Henri Veesaar from North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball, Isaiah Evans of Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball, and German guard Jack Kayil.
Okorie emerged as one of the top freshman scorers in college basketball last season, averaging 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game for Stanford.
The 6-foot-2 guard also showed strong efficiency, shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three-point range, and 83.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Veesaar enjoyed a breakout junior season at North Carolina, establishing himself as one of the more versatile big men in the draft class.
The 7-footer from Estonia averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 61 percent from the floor.
He also stretched the defense effectively by making 42.6 percent of his three-pointers.
Evans significantly improved his production during his sophomore year at Duke.
The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 15 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest while attempting more than seven three-pointers per game and shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Kayil spent last season playing professionally for Alba Berlin in Germany after previously competing in Serbia.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 12 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 50 appearances in all competitions.
Ebuka Okorie, Henri Veesaar, Isaiah Evans, Jack Kayil Staying In Draft https://t.co/DvCIBTDN27
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 14, 2026
