Full Breakdown
Allen Graves Remains in 2026 NBA Draft, Ends College Options
5/27/2026, 8:56:52 PM
Decision Overview
Santa Clara forward Allen Graves announced on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast that he will stay in the 2026 NBA Draft, closing the door on a return to college basketball or a transfer before the May 27 withdrawal deadline.
Background and Performance
Graves entered Santa Clara as an unranked recruit from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, redshirted his first year, then became a breakout freshman. He earned WCC Freshman, Sixth-Man and Defensive Player of the Year honors while averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and shooting 51 % from the field and 41 % from three.
Draft Projections and Team Interest
ESPN’s mock places Graves at No. 22 overall and projects the Philadelphia 76ers as his likely selector. DraftExpress’s Jonathan Givony confirmed he remains in the draft pool. At the combine, Graves said he had spoken with LSU and Duke, while Kentucky contacted his agents. The Oklahoma City Thunder, holding two top-20 picks, reportedly worked him out.
Financial and Draft-Stock Criticism
CBS Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein warned that the money is better by returning to college because of a guaranteed NBA contract, and that slipping to the second round would replace that guarantee with a non-guaranteed two-way deal paying just under $600,000, while many players could command at least $3 million.
Conflicting Projections
ESPN and DraftExpress describe Graves as a first-round, top-20 talent (No. 22), yet another report calls him a “second-round pick right now” and suggests he may still return to college, showing uncertainty about his final draft slot.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For virtually every player we are talking about, believe it or not, the money is better by going back to college basketball than it is by staying in the NBA draft. And that is even if they are a first round pick. With that comes a guaranteed contract. Now, if any of these guys slip to the second, the financial reality is a vast disappointment. A two-way deal in the NBA is non-guaranteed and pays just under $600,000. The vast majority of everybody we're talking about would command a salary of at least up to $3 million to play college basketball for next season,” — Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports Analyst
- “Now, if any of these guys slip to the second, the financial reality is a vast disappointment.” — Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports Analyst
- “There's no guarantee that transferring to a school like LSU or Duke would also result in the sustained efficiency he just showed this past season.” — 247Sports analysis
- “The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have two picks in the top-20 of this 2026 draft, were reportedly one team that worked out Graves.” — 247Sports analysis
Upcoming Timeline
Graves must withdraw by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27; the NBA Draft opens on June 23 in New York. The Oklahoma City Thunder may continue workouts before the draft, while LSU and Duke monitor his status.
