Several of college basketball's brightest stars have a decision to make in the coming weeks
By Cameron Salerno Apr 7, 2026 at 12:14 pm ET • 8 min read 
Getty Images The 2025-26 college basketball season is over after No. 1 seed Michigan defeated No. 2 seed UConn 69-63 in the 2026 national title game in Indianapolis on Monday. With the season in the books, it's time to look ahead to what is expected to be a busy offseason full of several key stay-or-go decisions.
The transfer portal opened on Tuesday. Although many players announced their intention to hit the portal, it couldn't be finalized until the day after the national title game. That's a significant change from last season, where players were able to enter the transfer portal after the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
The opening of the portal last year led to players on active rosters -- such as Michigan's Justin Pippen -- entering the transfer portal while his team was still playing in the Big Dance.
UNC hires Michael Malone, what's next for Tar Heels: Roster outlook, retention priorities, transfer needs Isaac Trotter
The biggest transfer portal entry so far has been Kansas big man Flory Bidunga. The No. 29-ranked player in CBS Sports NBA Draft rankings will more than likely be the most sought-after big man in this transfer portal class, if he elects to play college basketball next season.
Another factor that will impact this year's offseason is that the top of next year's NBA Draft class projects to be weaker than this year's or the 2025 draft. With uncertainty at the top of next year's draft class, it could lead to several players projected to be taken near the back half of the first round returning to college to raise their stock.
With all eyes on the offseason, here are the biggest stay-or-go decisions on the horizon.
1. Koa Peat, Arizona
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 14
While Peat will likely end up entering the draft, returning to school for one more season could be the best option. Peat projects to be taken somewhere in the mid-to-late first round this summer, if he does in fact enter the draft. The highs of Peat's freshman season at Arizona were incredible, while the lows should have him considering at least one more season of college.
Peat is a bullyball forward who shot 53.6% on 2-pointers. However, one knock on his game -- and something that ultimately led to Arizona's season coming to an end -- was the lack of 3-point attempts. Peat shot just 20 total (7 of 20) 3-pointers this season. It may be a hot take now, but Peat is the kind of player who could be in contention to be a top-three pick in 2027 if he does return to Arizona. He would also be one of the top candidates for National Player of the Year honors.
2. Isaiah Evans, Duke
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 27
The most important offseason of Jon Scheyer's tenure at Duke awaits, with Evans serving as the most consequential stay-or-go decision the program will face. Evans blossomed into a legit No. 2 scoring option this season while expanding his game to become more than just a catch-and-shoot specialist. Evans could give Duke a veteran scoring option, and there is a very strong chance he ends up leading Duke in scoring if he returns next season.
3. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 26
North Carolina has a new basketball coach (Michael Malone). His first order of business should be to do everything possible to get Veesaar to return to Chapel Hill. In his first season at UNC, Veesaar had an incredible year, and he would profile as North Carolina's best player if he does indeed return to school. He shot 42.6% from the 3-point line. Centers are going to be coveted more than ever this cycle, so Malone will have to do everything in his power to keep the star big man away from the NBA -- or the transfer portal.
UNC's hire of Michael Malone sets a clean slate for the next era of Carolina basketball Chip Patterson
4. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 21
Johnson has been a beast for Michigan and one of the best transfers of the last cycle. Can Michigan find a way to bring him back? We will see. If Johnson does return, he would be a foundational building block for the Wolverines. In the title game, Johnson did a fantastic job of finding mismatches against smaller defenders. He grew exponentially from his freshman season at Illinois to this year at Michigan. May found a way to unlock his full potential as a defender.
5. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 31
Tanner is pound-for-pound one of the best athletes in college basketball. Even if he's an undersized point guard, his play doesn't show it. Tanner threw down 18 dunks this season as a 6-foot point guard. That's impressive. He's also a pest on the defensive side of the ball, with a knack for being able to force turnovers. Tanner's draft stock has certainly boomed throughout the course of the year, but it would be wise to return to school, where he would be a candidate to be a preseason First Team All-American.
6. Aday Mara, Michigan
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 23
Similar to his teammate (Johnson), Mara also has a decision to make: Enter the draft as a projected mid-to-late first-round pick, or return to school for a chance at a repeat. After getting buried in UCLA's rotation the last two seasons, Mara transferred to Michigan, where he became one of the best defenders in college basketball. His 7-foot-3 frame certainly helps that, but he has also grown his game on the offensive end of the floor, especially around the rim. Mara shot 66.8% from the floor this season on double the attempts of last year. Getting Mara and Johnson both back might be tough, but getting at least one to return would be a massive win.
Michigan won the NCAAs because Dusty May understood better than anyone else how to build a monster portal team Matt Norlander
7. Braylon Mullins, UConn
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 28
Mullins' freshman season at UConn got off to a slow start due to an ankle injury suffered before the year began. Mullins' calling card is his shooting, and that was fully on display when he hit one of the most legendary shots in college basketball history against Duke. Although Mullins did progress as a shooter throughout the season, he finished the year 33.5% from beyond the arc. Mullins returning to school for his sophomore year would be the wise option. It would also give UConn a major win heading into the offseason after reaching the title game for the third time in four seasons.
8. Flory Bidunga, Kansas (in the portal)
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 29
Bidunga will be one of the most popular players in the transfer portal. He has several options to ponder over the coming days and weeks. Bidunga could return to Kansas, play for a new school, or enter the NBA Draft, where he projects as a late-first-round pick. He is one of the best defenders in the sport who continued to show improvement throughout the season. One more year of college basketball would benefit him and should be the play here. Kansas should do everything possible to get him to come back.
9. Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 25
After Duke had back-to-back National Player of the Year forwards with the program (Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer), the nucleus of this Duke roster should look different next season. One thing Scheyer has had success with since he took over for Mike Krzyzewski is roster retention. The priorities this time around are Evans and Ngongba. If Duke can get both of those players back and add veterans on the roster to pair with its No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class, the Blue Devils will be in business. Cameron Williams, the No. 3 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports, could start in the frontcourt alongside Ngongba if both are with the program.
10. Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
CBS Sports NBA Draft Ranking: 41
Thomas somewhat flew under the radar before his classmate, Darius Acuff Jr., was the best guard in college basketball. Thomas showed throughout the year that he can be a volume scorer. Thomas shot 41.6% from the 3-point line and averaged 15.6 points. With five-star Jordan Smith Jr. set to arrive and veteran guard D.J. Wagner entering the portal, John Calipari being able to bring back Thomas would be a huge win. I'm a believer in the talent, and another year to expand his role within Calipari's system would be mutually beneficial for all parties.
Honorable mentions
Here are five more names who also have important decisions to make.
- Chris Cenac Jr., Houston: Cenac showed flashes of his five-star billing at Houston this season. Still, he is raw as a prospect. Returning to Houston for one more season to build his stock up is the logical option. Still, it also wouldn't be surprising if he entered the draft.
- Alex Condon, Florida: Condon and his teammate Rueben Chinyelu will be the top retention options for coach Todd Golden. Florida's strength over the last two years was its frontcourt. If Golden can find a way to get both back, it would erase some of the headache of finding their replacements because this is shaping up to be a less-talented big man portal class.
- Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State: Momcilovic is the best shooter in college basketball. Still, it would be surprising to see him get selected in the first round. A return to school should be on the table.
- Motiejus Krivas, Arizona: Arizona has five-star guard Caleb Holt set to enter the program. What Arizona needs is answers from its frontcourt (Peat and Krivas). Krivas showed growth this season in almost all aspects of his game. The big man draft class is wide open in the middle of the first round. Will Krivas take his chances? We will see.
- Ebuka Okorie, Stanford: Okorie might've flown under the radar because of this elite freshman class. However, make no mistake, there weren't many people better at scoring the basketball than him. If Stanford can find a way to get him to return, it wouldn't be shocking to see him become a 25-point-per-game scorer next season.
Key offseason dates to know
- April 7: Transfer portal opens
- April 21: Transfer portal closes
- April 26: Early entry deadline for the NBA Draft
- May 10-17: NBA Draft Combine in Chicago
- May 28: Deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft to maintain college eligibility
