The NCAA-imposed deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft in order to return to college came and went this week on a quiet note for the Arizona Wildcats.
But it hardly mattered. Although the NBA had yet to release its official NBA Draft withdrawal list for returning collegians as of Thursday afternoon — after the Wednesday night deadline passed — the Wildcats are still firmly expected to return Jaden Bradley and lose Carter Bryant.
Arizona’s Jaden Bradley, front, dribbles past Kansas’ Rylan Griffen during the first half in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament, March 13, in Kansas City, Mo.
Neither player announced their decisions to enter the draft nor whether they would stay in it, but both of their names appeared on the NBA’s official early entry list last month. Bradley has always been expected to return, while Bryant was considered questionable until his rising NBA Draft stock made staying in the draft a financial no-brainer.
Bryant said during the NBA Combine earlier this month that he was “completely in” the NBA Draft but did not make a formal announcement of his plans for next season.
Because he has the size and skillset of a prototypical NBA wing — while also impressing during predraft testing, workouts and interviews — Bryant has elevated into a projected lottery pick.
Players selected among the last of the 14 lottery picks can still receive two-year guaranteed contracts for around $10 million, while top college players reportedly are now receiving in the low seven figures.
Bryant has drawn considerable intrigue after starting just five of 37 games for the Wildcats in 2024-25 while averaging 19.3 minutes. According to Kenpom, Bryant was “used” on just 15.9% of possessions when he was on the court, meaning the percentage of times he ended a possession by making or missing a shot, or by turning the ball over.
“Carter Bryant didn’t have a high usage rate at Arizona, but he has a ton of NBA appeal,” posted Isaac Condra of Global Scouting. “This is widely due to his great physical tools for a forward, defensive versatility, defensive playmaking and he’s a good 3-point shooter.
“He has a role a lot of NBA decision-makers covet dues to his 3-and-D potential while having NBA athleticism and frame.”
Bryant was listed as the No. 12 pick in NBA.com’s most recent consensus mock draft, while The Ringer has projected him at No. 10 and ESPN has Bryant at 14.
Meanwhile, Bradley is scheduled to return for a fourth season of college basketball, after becoming the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer (12.1) as a full-time starter at point guard last season. He averaged 3.7 assists per game, with nearly a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio.
Love auditions for Blazers
While Bryant may be rising partly because of his potential at just 19 years old, former teammate Caleb Love is in an opposite situation: A proven college scorer who is 23, somebody NBA scouts have seen thoroughly.
But while Love isn’t projected to be one of the 60 picks in the June draft, he talked about what he can offer after becoming a regular starter over five seasons between stops at North Carolina and Arizona.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) sails through the lane looking for room to put up a floater against Duke during the second half of their Sweet 16 game in the men’s NCAA Tournament in Newark, NJ, on March 27.
“Being at two different schools and three different conferences, I feel like the experience definitely helps,” Love said after a workout for the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. “I’ve grown so much on the court and off the court. I’m so much more mature than I was as an 18-year-old coming into college. I think that’s definitely gonna be to my advantage.
Named the Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2023-24, Love is one of only 14 players to have scored 1,000 points at two different schools, and he tied the single-game scoring record at Oregon’s Matthew Knight Arena with 36 points in 2023-24.
With all that scoring ability already pretty well established, Love said he’s trying to prove himself on the other end of the court during the predraft process this spring.
Defense is “something that a lot of scouts and a lot of my coaches have been saying that I need to be great at to get on the floor,” Love said Wednesday, according to a video the Trail Blazers posted. “So that’s what I’m mainly trying to show but I’m pretty versatile. Whatever role you put me in, I feel like I can succeed.”
Also having competed in the G League Elite Camp earlier this month, Love said he now has worked out for two NBA teams, including an earlier tryout with the Orlando Magic. Love said he’s received NBA feedback that his physicality and potential are valued.
“They know I can be a great guard in this league,” Love said. “So it’s just showing that I can be versatile, a defensive menace and showing my shot-making and playmaking ability.”
Florida tickets on sale Friday
Tickets for UA’s Nov. 3 season opener against Florida in Las Vegas are scheduled to go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. via hofseries.com.
The Monday doubleheader at T-Mobile Arena will also feature a BYU-Villanova game, though game times have not been announced.
