Finkelstein's 2026 NBA Draft Big Board: Prospect rankings updated after deadline for underclassmen to declare
There's plenty of shuffling on Adam Finkelstein's Big Board after underclassmen declare for the NBA Draft
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Adam Finkelstein Apr 28, 2026 at 1:45 pm ET • 3 min read
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The anticipation for this year's NBA Draft has been building for months, if not years, because of the talent at the very top and with the college season now behind us and the combine just two weeks away, the big names like Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson will continue to battle for the very top spots.
Now though, this year's draft is also making history for other reasons, and that's the number of players who have opted to return to college to take advantage of a robust NIL market. Only 71 underclassmen declared for the draft this year, the fewest since 2003. Among the players returning to college without even testing the waters are one projected lottery pick, four projected first-rounders, 6 who were previously ranked in the top 40, and a total of 13 who were previously ranked inside the top-60, that is that projected to be drafted.
It's not just that they're going back to college, but that they are doing so without even exploring the draft process that is unprecedented in recent draft history. Even those 71 who have declared now have until May 27th to withdraw and return to college, which many of them inevitably will. In other words, the depth of this draft has taken a hit, and another one is on the horizon.
The silver lining is that there are opportunities we weren't previously anticipating, both for prospects to play their way into the late first-round and earn a guaranteed contract, or to hear their name called on draft night at all.
2026 NBA Draft: 71 early entrants, fewest underclassmen since 2003, to test waters Cameron Salerno 
The updated big board below reflects the players that are currently eligible, but this is the time of year when things can change quickly with the combine, team workouts, medical testing, and interviews all right around the corner.
2026 NBA Draft Big Board
Check out the entire prospect rankings here
1AJ DybantsaBYUSF6-9Fr2Darryn PetersonKansasPG6-6Fr3Cameron BoozerDukePF6-9Fr4Caleb WilsonNorth CarolinaPF6-10Fr5Darius AcuffArkansasPG6-3Fr6Kingston FlemingsHoustonPG6-4Fr7Keaton WaglerIllinoisPG6-6Fr8Mikel BrownLouisvillePG6-4Fr9Nate AmentTennesseePF6-10Fr10Brayden BurriesArizonaSG6-4Fr11Koa PeatArizonaPF6-8Fr12Yaxel LendeborgMichiganPF6-9Gr13Jayden QuaintanceKentuckyC6-10So14Aday MaraMichiganC7-3Jr15Labaron PhilonAlabamaPG6-3So16Karim LopezMexicoSF6-8Int17Hannes SteinbachWashingtonPF6-11Fr18Chris CenacHoustonPF6-11Fr19Bennett StirtzIowaPG6-4Sr20Cameron CarrBaylorSG6-5RS-So21Morez JohnsonMichiganC6-9So22Christian AndersonTexas TechPG6-1So23Henri VeesaarNorth CarolinaC7-0Jr24Isaiah EvansDukeSG6-6So25Flory BidungaKansasC6-9So26Amari AllenAlabamaSF6-8Fr27Dailyn SwainTexasSF6-8Jr28Rueben ChinyeluFloridaC6-10Jr29Ebuka OkorieStanfordPG6-2Fr30Allen GravesSanta ClaraPF6-9Fr31Juke HarrisWake ForestSF6-7So32Tarris ReedConnecticutC6-10Sr33Tounde YessoufouBaylorSF6-5Fr34Tyler TannerVanderbiltPG6-0So35Alex KarabanConnecticutPF6-8Sr36Meleek ThomasArkansasSG6-4Fr37Joshua JeffersonIowa StatePF6-9Sr38Ryan ConwellLouisvilleSG6-4Sr39Milan MomcilovicIowa StateSF6-8Jr40Braden SmithPurduePG6-0Sr41Zuby EjioforSt. John'sC6-9Sr42Trevon BrazileArkansasPF6-10Sr43Billy RichmondArkansasSF6-6So44Otega OwehKentuckySG6-4Sr45Jaden BradleyArizonaPG6-3Sr46Richie SaundersBYUSG6-5Sr47Emanuel SharpHoustonSG6-3Sr48Malachi MorenoKentuckyC7-0Fr49Bruce ThorntonOhio StatePG6-1Sr50Milos UzanHoustonPG6-4Sr51Sergio De Larrea SpainSG6-7Int52Baba MillerCincinnatiPF6-11Sr53Tyler BilodeauUCLAPF6-9Sr54John BlackwellWisconsinSG6-4Jr55Ja'Kobi GillespieTennesseePG6-1Sr56Nate BittleOregonC7-0RS-Sr57Ugonna OnyensoVirginiaC6-11Sr58Kylan BoswellIllinoisPG6-2Sr59Luigi SuigoItalyC7-4Int60Andrej StojakovicIllinoisSG6-7Jr61Quadir CopelandNC StatePG6-6Sr62Matthew AbleNC StateSF6-5FR63Tamin LipseyIowa StatePG6-1Sr64Malik ReneauMiamiPF6-9Sr65Keyshawn HallAuburnSF6-7Sr66Jeremy FearsMichigan StatePG6-2RS-SO67Rafael CastroGeorge WashingtonC6-10Sr68Jaron PierreSMUSG6-5Gr69Felix OkparaTennesseeC6-11Sr70Tucker DevriesIndianaSF6-7Sr71Dillon MitchellSt. John'sPF6-7Sr72Izaiyah NelsonSouth FloridaC6-9Sr73Cade TysonMinnesotaSF6-7Sr74Darrion WilliamsNC StateSF6-5Sr75Tyler NickelVanderbiltSF6-7Sr76Jaden HenleyGrand CanyonSF6-7Sr77Elliot CadeauMichiganPG6-1Jr78Nick MartinelliNorthwesternPF6-7Sr79Lamar WilkersonIndianaSG6-6Sr80Maliq BrownDukeC6-7Sr Join the Conversation comments
