Scott Phillips

2020 NBA Draft Early Entry Tracker

By Aug 2, 2020, 10:00 AM EDT
2020 nba draft anthony edwards
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
2 Comments

Here is CBT’s full 2020 NBA Draft early entry tracker. You’ll find a full breakdown of what players are deciding. We’ll track signing with agents, testing the waters and returning to school here. 

Underclassmen had until Sunday, April 26th at 11:59 p.m. EST to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft.

A deadline of June 3rd at 5 p.m. EST is set for underclassmen to withdraw and retain college eligibility.

Of course, these dates are subject to change given the fluidity of the COVID-19 situation.

Here is the full list of the underclassmen who have publicly announced their intentions for the 2020 NBA Draft. 

NBA DRAFT EARLY ENTRY

Preseason Top 25 | Mock Draft | Early Entry Tracker

NBA DRAFT TESTING THE WATERS

  • MILAN ACQUAAH, Cal Baptist
  • ZACH COOKS, NJIT
  • DAKARI JOHNSON, Cape Fear CC
  • COREY KISPERT, Gonzaga
  • JOHN PETTY JR., Alabama
  • YVES PONS, Tennessee
  • JOE SATERFIELD, Ranger CC
  • JAVONTE SMART, LSU
  • CHRIS SMITH, UCLA
  • TRENDON WATFORD, LSU
  • ROBERT WOODWARD, Mississippi State

NOTABLES RETURNING TO SCHOOL

  • JORDYN ADAMS, Austin Peay
  • ABDUL ADO, Mississippi State
  • TIMMY ALLEN, Nebraska
  • DERRICK ALSTON, Boise State
  • JOEL AYAYI, Gonzaga
  • JAMES BOUKNIGHT, UConn
  • KEION BROOKS, Kentucky
  • JOMARU BROWN, Eastern Kentucky
  • JORDAN BRUNER, Alabama
  • MARCUS BURK, IUPUI
  • JORDAN BURNS, Colgate
  • JARED BUTLER, Baylor
  • MANNY CAMPER, Siena
  • MARCUS CARR, Minnesota
  • NAZ CARTER, Washington
  • TAMENANG CHOH, Brown
  • KOFI COCKBURN, Illinois
  • DAVID COLLINS, South Florida
  • JALEN CRUTCHER, Dayton
  • DEREK CULVER, West Virginia
  • RYAN DALY, St. Joseph’s
  • DARIUS DAYS, LSU
  • DEXTER DENNIS, Wichita State
  • AYO DOSUNMU, Illinois
  • NOJEL EASTERN, Purdue
  • MASON FAULKNER, Western Carolina
  • L.J. FIGUEROA, St. John’s
  • BLAKE FRANCIS, Richmond
  • HASAHN FRENCH, Saint Louis
  • D.J. FUNDERBURK, N.C. State
  • BOTH GACH, Utah
  • ALONZO GAFFNEY, NW Florida
  • LUKA GARZA, Iowa
  • JACOB GILYARD, Richmond
  • GRANT GOLDEN, Richmond
  • JORDAN GOODWIN, Saint Louis
  • JAYVON GRAVES, Buffalo
  • A.J. GREEN, Northern Iowa
  • DARIN GREEN, UCF
  • AARON HENRY, Michigan State
  • JALEN HILL, UCLA
  • JAY HUFF, Virginia
  • FERON HUNT, SMU
  • CHANCE HUNTER, Long Beach State
  • MATTHEW HURT, Duke
  • TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, Indiana
  • DEJON JARREAU, Houston
  • DAMIEN JEFFERSON, Creighton
  • ISAIAH JOE, Arkansas
  • JALEN JOHNSON, Mississippi State
  • ANDRE JONES, Nicholls State
  • HERB JONES, Alabama
  • KAMERON LANGLEY, North Carolina A&T
  • A.J. LAWSON, South Carolina
  • MATT LEWIS, James Madison
  • SCOTTIE LEWIS, Florida
  • ISAAC LIKEKELE, Oklahoma State
  • ISAIAH LIVERS, Michigan
  • DENZEL MAHONEY, Creighton
  • MAKUR MAKER, Howard
  • SANDRO MAMUKELASHVILI, Seton Hall
  • TRE MANN, Florida
  • REMY MARTIN, Arizona State
  • MAC MCCLUNG, Texas Tech
  • ISAIAH MILLER, UNCG
  • MATT MITCHELL, San Diego State
  • WENDELL MOORE, Duke
  • ANDREW NEMBHARD, Gonzaga
  • OBADIAH NOEL, UMass-Lowell
  • LANDERS NOLLEY II, Memphis
  • NEEMIAS QUETA, Utah State
  • ELIJAH OLANIYI, Stony Brook
  • JALEN PICKETT, Siena
  • XAVIER PINSON, Missouri
  • DARIUS QUISENBEERRY, Youngstown State
  • JEREMIAH ROBINSON-EARL, Villanova
  • COLBEY ROSS, Pepperdine
  • FATTS RUSSELL, Rhode Island
  • MARCUS SANTOS-SILVA, Transfer
  • AAMIR SIMMS, Clemson
  • COLLIN SMITH, UCF
  • MITCHELL SMITH, Missouri
  • STEF SMITH, Vermont
  • BEN STANLEY, Hampton
  • PARKER STEWART, UT Martin
  • TERRY TAYLOR, Austin Peay
  • MACIO TEAGUE, Baylor
  • JUSTIN THOMAS, Morehead State
  • ETHAN THOMPSON, Oregon State
  • JEREMIAH TILMON, Missouri
  • OSCAR TSHIEBWE, West Virginia
  • ALONZO VERGE, Arizona State
  • CHRIS VOGT, Cincinnati
  • FRANZ WAGNER, Michigan
  • C.J. WALKER, Ohio State
  • IBI WATSON, Dayton
  • JARROD WEST, Marshall
  • ROMELLO WHITE, Arizona State
  • JOE WIESKAMP, Iowa
  • DEANDRE WILLIAMS, Memphis
  • KEITH WILLIAMS, Cincinnati
  • MCKINLEY WRIGHT, Colorado
Preseason Top 25 | Coaching Carousel | NBA Draft Early Entry (link)

WHEN IS THE 2020 NBA DRAFT?

The 2020 NBA Draft is currently scheduled to take place on June 25th, 2020, but that date is up in the air due to the spread of COVID-19. At the very least, the league is preparing as if the pre-draft process is going to be drastically different than it has been in past seasons.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE FOR AN EARLY ENTRY TO DECLARE FOR THE 2020 NBA DRAFT?

Underclassmen have under April 26th to declare for the draft. Those that don’t sign with an agent have until June 15th to pull their name out of the draft and return to school.

WHERE CAN I FIND A 2020 MOCK DRAFT?

Right here, thanks for asking.

Muffet McGraw retires from Notre Dame

By Apr 22, 2020, 3:23 PM EDT
Getty Images
0 Comments

Muffet McGraw retired suddenly from the Notre Dame women’s basketball program on Wednesday.

The legendary head coach collected two national championships and 936 wins during her storied career.

Spending the past 33 seasons on the sidelines at Notre Dame, McGraw compiled one of the most impressive NCAA basketball coaching profiles in modern history. McGraw and Notre Dame became pillars of success during her tenure. The program reached nine Final Fours and played in the national title game seven times. The Irish claimed national titles in 2001 and 2018.

“It has been my great honor to represent the University of Notre Dame these past 33 years, but the time has come for me to step down as your head basketball coach,” McGraw said in a statement. “I want to thank Monk Malloy and Father Jenkins for giving me the opportunity to coach the game I love at a university I love. I have learned much about leadership from the many athletic directors with whom I have served, and in particular, I want to thank Jack Swarbrick for his unwavering support.”

Finishing with a career record of 936-251, McGraw started her head coaching career with five seasons at Lehigh. Although McGraw didn’t make a postseason appearance at Lehigh, she slowly turned Notre Dame into a postseason juggernaut. Beginning with her eighth season in South Bend, McGraw took Notre Dame to 22 consecutive women’s NCAA tournaments.

The Irish were particularly dominant over the last decade. McGraw and Notre Dame made the women’s Final Four an incredible eight times in nine seasons from 2011 through 2019. The program also made it to at least the Sweet Sixteen every season of the 2010 decade.

McGraw also made a big impact by coaching plenty of future WNBA stars and All-Americans. Ruth Riley was McGraw’s first big star in the late ’90s. The torch was passed through the years as new stars like Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jewell Loyd, Brianna Turner and Arike Ogunbowale all thrived under McGraw.

Notre Dame will replace Muffet McGraw with former assistant coach Niele Ivey. Ivey played for Notre Dame and coached under McGraw from 2007 until 2019.

Report: NCAA spent money previously saved for lost NCAA tournament

By Apr 21, 2020, 12:00 PM EDT
Getty Images
0 Comments

A few years ago, the NCAA was financially prepared for a missed NCAA tournament.

But savings of nearly $500 million to help offset the financial loss of college basketball’s biggest event was spent elsewhere. According to a report from Will Hobson of the Washington Post, NCAA leadership spent more than $400 million of its savings while never increasing the event cancellation insurance coverage.

NCAA chief operating officer Donald Remy acknowledged that university presidents on the board of governors made the decision to spend the savings. It was also decided event cancellation insurance on the NCAA tournament should not be increased because of cost. From 2004 through 2014, the NCAA compiled savings in the event of a missed NCAA tournament. Event cancellation insurance was also put in place to cover one-third of the event.

Under Remy’s leadership, and at the recommendation of some school athletic directors, the NCAA started to get rid of the $500 million savings in 2016. Some athletic directors viewed the cash pool as a liability. One theory involved lawyers targeting the NCAA because of the savings.

So the money was spent.  The NCAA board of governors approved a $200 million “special one-time distribution” to Division I athletic departments in 2016. Even more puzzling, in 2017, the NCAA settled a major class-action lawsuit for $208.7 million. The NCAA could have forced 11 football conferences, the case’s other defendants, to split the cost. Instead, the NCAA opted to cover the full amount using its savings.

It’s led to this year’s current situation. The cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tournament allowed the NCAA to recover a $270 million insurance policy. Unfortunately, that only amounts to about one-third of the tournament’s $800 million annual revenue.

Since 70 percent of the NCAA’s annual revenue comes from the NCAA tournament, it means a significantly leaner year for the organization. Payouts to member conferences and schools are also dramatically decreasing.

We’re still unsure of the long-term implications of the NCAA and member schools missing so much revenue. But the short-term has already seen budget cuts, furloughed employees and sports getting eliminated to reduce cost.

EJ Montgomery leaves Kentucky for 2020 NBA draft

By Apr 15, 2020, 12:50 PM EDT
Getty Images
0 Comments

Kentucky’s roster will look completely different next season.

EJ Montgomery became the latest Wildcat to turn pro on Wednesday. Kentucky announced the sophomore forward’s decision to leave school. The 6-foot-10 Montgomery is planning to stay a pro, according to multiple reports. All five Kentucky starters are turning pro this season.

Montgomery played a bigger role for the Wildcats his second season. His minutes jumped from 15.1 to a respectable 24.1 per game. The forward put up 6.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per contest in 28 games. Montgomery shot 51 percent from the floor and 66 percent from the free-throw line. Nick Richards was Kentucky’s established go-to big man. But Montgomery played a valuable frontcourt role for the SEC champions.

It’s unlikely EJ Montgomery finds himself in the first round. But by turning pro and staying in the draft, Montgomery is betting on his pro future.

With the pro decision from Montgomery, Kentucky’s roster is virtually all new players. Forward Keion Brooks returns for his sophomore season. Creighton grad transfer Davion Mintz is joining the program. But John Calipari’s roster will rely on six new freshmen.

Kentucky’s roster has been led by freshmen plenty of times before. Calipari is accustomed to getting rosters full of new players to mesh. But with only Brooks returning from the rotation, it will feel like an entirely new culture at the start of the season. Every player on the roster will be unfamiliar with each other.

It should make for an interesting experiment for a very talented team. Kentucky sits at No. 10 in the CBT Preseason Top 25 at the moment. The talent on the wings for the Wildcats will be evident with Terrence Clarke and Brandon Boston. With the loss of EJ Montgomery, the frontcourt will have more questions next season.

Isaiah Todd decommits from Michigan to turn pro out of high school

By Apr 14, 2020, 12:15 PM EDT
Getty Images
0 Comments

Michigan’s 2020-21 season took yet another turn for the worse on Tuesday afternoon.

Prized five-star recruit Isaiah Todd decommitted from the Wolverines. Todd and his mother confirmed the decision to Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated. The 6-foot-10 Todd will hire an agent and turn pro a year early in the hopes of enhancing his stock for the 2021 NBA draft. Todd’s decision to go pro comes on the heels of Michigan losing five-star recruit Joshua Christopher to Arizona State on Monday night.

“My dream has always been to play in the NBA,” Todd said to Sports Illustrated. “I just feel like this route will help my game grow even more. I want to be as prepared as possible when the times comes. This was a no-brainer for me.”

Even within the past 24 hours, Michigan fans were dreaming big about 2021. It looked like Christopher was a shoe-in to commit to the Wolverines. Then he shockingly committed to Arizona State. Fast-forward to the next morning and Michigan is now staring at a future without two five-star prospects many believed would be on the 2020-21 roster.

The possibility of Todd turning pro out of high school was previously discussed. The timing of Todd’s decision, coming right after Christopher’s announcement, is a gut-punch for Michigan fans.

Juwan Howard’s first recruiting class is still a strong one. Four-star center Hunter Dickinson was coveted by bluebloods. The 7-footer should earn immediate minutes. Four-star guard Zeb Jackson and wing Terrance Williams are two more top-100 prospects. Howard’s own son, Jace, is an emerging three-star prospect to add depth. And Michigan also added a dynamic scoring guard on the grad transfer market with Columbia’s Mike Smith.

But the sting of losing Christopher, and now Isaiah Todd, is going to be tough to handle. Michigan still sits in CBT’s latest preseason top 25. The ceiling for this current group, however, won’t be nearly as high without the allure of two potential five-star prospects joining the roster.

Nick Richards leaving Kentucky for 2020 NBA Draft

By Apr 14, 2020, 11:50 AM EDT
Getty Images
0 Comments

Nick Richards is forgoing his final year at Kentucky to enter the 2020 NBA Draft.

Following a breakout junior season, the 6-foot-11 big man is turning pro and planning to stay in the draft.

Richards became a go-to presence for the Wildcats on the interior this season. The junior put up 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Richards was also incredibly efficient. He shot 64 percent from the floor and a respectable 75 percent from the free-throw line. Recognition followed with Richards getting first-team All-SEC honors.

Junior season was a revelation for Nick Richards after two up-and-down seasons in Lexington. The former McDonald’s All-American took time to develop. Richards had to battle for minutes against other five-star big men the past two seasons. This season, when Kentucky needed him to step up, Richards responded with a strong season.

While Richards received some criticism for his slower development, the big man deserves praise for sticking the course and improving dramatically. Not many would have envisioned Richards making the early leap to the NBA following his first two seasons at Kentucky. But Richards put the work in and was one of college basketball’s most-improved players this season.

As far as the NBA draft is concerned, it’ll be interesting to track Nick Richards. He’s not currently a draft darling listed in the first round of mock drafts. Obviously, Richards spent some time in college and is older than many of his draft peers. But he’s also shown two-way ability and a much-improved post game. NBA teams aren’t seeking many big men who can’t shoot from the perimeter. It’s still feasible that Richards carves out an NBA role thanks to his rim protection and late-blooming development.