The NCAA's deadline for college basketball prospects to decide whether they want to keep their names in consideration for the NBA Draft has now been extended indefinitely. Formerly, college players who entered their names for draft consideration were faced with a June 3 deadline to withdraw from the draft if they wished to return to college.
NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt made the statement Wednesday night, saying a decision on the new withdrawal date for college players will be made once the NBA has determined a timeline for the pre-draft process.
"This modification is being made with the health and well-being of our student-athletes in mind, along with their ability to make the most informed decisions during this uncertain time, and is based on the recent announcement by the NBA to postpone the 2020 NBA Draft Combine," Gavitt said.
The NBA announced on May 1 that it was postponing the combine and the draft lottery as league stakeholders discuss if and how the 2019-20 season might be finished.
For some college coaches, the delayed withdrawal date will likely mean they enter the summer months with lingering insecurity over the makeup of their rosters for the 2020-21 campaign.
Gavitt expressed in Wednesday's announcement, however, that delaying the withdrawal date is planned to afford players time to make the right decision about their futures.
"Working in collaboration with National Association of Basketball Coaches executive director Jim Haney and the rest of the coaches' leadership, the NCAA membership will ensure that any change supports a player's decision-making process related to professional opportunities while also protecting their academic pursuits and the opportunity to play college basketball," Gavitt said.
