NCAA Basketball Star Players Who Should NOT Declare for 2023 NBA Draft

As the offseason starts to ramp up in college basketball, players will make decisions about their future every day until August. To prepare you for the offseason carousel across the country, we discuss a handful of big names in the sport that may consider returning to college basketball rather than heading to the next level.

Zach Edey – Purdue

The reigning National Player of the Year may have unfinished business in West Lafayette. It was not the NCAA Tournament the Boilermakers were hoping for after a shocking upset defeat to Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round. We haven’t heard yet if Edey will declare for the draft, but he may not like what he hears from pro scouts during the process. His size, footwork, and touch are impeccable, but his inability to score outside of the paint strongly contradicts how most NBA teams run offense in 2023. Don’t be surprised if we see Edey announce a return to college basketball in hopes of a better run in March Madness in 2024 while upping his draft stock next year.

Trayce Jackson-Davis – Indiana

Jackson-Davis deals with a similar issue as Edey that will be picked apart by scouts ad nauseam. Despite being a dominant force in the post and around the rim, TJD hasn’t made a three-pointer in 126 starts across four seasons with Indiana. He instantly becomes limited on the offensive end, and the college game, coupled with Indiana’s playstyle favors his game much more than any NBA team will. The Hoosiers have a solid squad, and if he returns, they should be in the mix for a Big Ten title in 2024.

Max Abmas – Oral Roberts

Although it feels like Max Abmas has been in college for years, the senior still has a COVID year of eligibility remaining if he wishes to utilize it. The Golden Eagles had a disappointing showing against Duke in the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament. Abmas mightily struggled in The Dance, shooting just four-of-15 from the floor in the loss. Despite being one of the nation’s top three-point shooters, his smaller frame at just 6’0″ and 175 pounds may cause some teams to steer away from him in June. With Oral Roberts head coach Paul Mills off to Wichita State, it may suit Abmas best to enter the portal and see what high-major interest he could receive from around the country.

Kyle Filipowski – Duke

Duke is the home of one-and-done players, but there have already been a few surprises from the Blue Devils at the beginning of the offseason. Mark Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor have announced they will return to Durham next season, and it leaves us to wonder if Filipowski may be willing to run it back. He emerged as the centerpiece of the Duke offense throughout the season. As a projected late-first or early-second-round pick, he may see a better path to the next level by staying another year and crafting his game at one of the best basketball programs in the country. This wouldn’t surprise us, and it’d make the Blue Devils a top-ten team heading into 2023-24.