One of the best players on one of the best college-basketball teams from last season is going to run it back. Houston guard Milos Uzan will reportedly withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school for his senior season, according to multiple reports.
The decision comes as a major surprise. Uzan was listed as No. 38 on Yahoo Sports’ NBA Draft big board, suggesting he would be selected early in the second round — with the possibility of going near the end of the first round.
It’s not the first time Uzan has pulled himself out of the draft. Uzan also went through the NBA Draft process following his sophomore year at Oklahoma. He pulled out before the draft deadline and announced he would return to college, but transfer to Houston.
He experienced a breakout season with the Cougars. Uzan, 22, averaged 11.4 points and 4.3 assists in his first season at Houston. The Cougars went 35-5 and finished No. 2 overall in the final men’s poll of the season.
During the NCAA Tournament, Uzan helped the Cougars reach the championship, where they lost to Florida in a tight game. Uzan scored six points in the contest.
Following the end of the college season, Uzan again decided to go through the draft process. He opted to pull out Tuesday — a day before the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft — and go back to Houston for a final year.
Uzan did not specify why he withdrew from the draft again. It’s possible the guard was hoping to receive a higher draft grade from teams and experts. It’s also possible he wanted to return the Houston to try and win a championship after the team nearly pulled off the feat last season.
Uzan’s return should ensure the Cougars are ranked high once again at the start of the 2025-26 college-basketball season. He’ll combine with Emanuel Sharp — who averaged 12.6 points last season — and Joseph Tugler, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, to give Houston a formidable trio.
Uzan could see his numbers increase once again in his senior season, especially after L.J. Cryer’s departure. If Uzan can step up his game once more, he could further increase his NBA Draft grade before his college eligibility runs out after next season.
Read the full article here