Chinyelu Withdraws from 2026 NBA Draft, Returns to Florida

Nigerian centre Rueben Chinyelu has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to the University of Florida for his senior year, opting to chase a second NCAA championship rather than enter a competitive draft pool in which a first-round selection appeared out of reach.

The 22-year-old had initially declared for the draft while maintaining his college eligibility and had hinted at the NBA Draft Combine that a return to school remained possible depending on how his stock developed. He had until May 27 to make a final decision and has now chosen Florida.

Chinyelu, who stands at 6ft 10in, was projected as a second-round pick by leading American sports outlets, with ESPN placing him 48th overall and Yahoo Sports projecting him 47th.

Despite impressive combine performances, it became clear that breaking into the first round of what is regarded as a highly competitive draft class would be difficult.

The decision also marks the second consecutive year Chinyelu has withdrawn from the draft process to return to college basketball, having made the same call during the 2025 cycle.

Despite Florida’s failure to defend their NCAA title this season, Chinyelu enjoyed a standout individual campaign and earned the Defensive Player of the Year award from the SEC, the Naismith Awards and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

He will now return with the aim of adding a second NCAA championship to his collection before making the jump to the professional game.

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