NBA Draft early-entry withdrawal date pushed back due to coronavirus

The NCAA is pushing back its deadline for early entrants to the NBA draft to withdraw and return to school, though it will wait to set a new date.

The deadline was June 3, which would’ve come 10 days after the completion of the NBA scouting combine. But with the combine postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said in a statement Wednesday that college sports’ governing body won’t set a new deadline until the NBA has determined its revised 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,” Gavitt said, specifically noting the postponement of the combine.

The news could impact the Arizona State Sun Devils, whose top two scorers, Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge Jr., have declared for the draft.

Both juniors, they can return to school if they so choose.

If the pre-draft process was to go on as scheduled, the players could have earned an invite to the May 21-24 combine to improve their stock before making a decision.

Now, that is up in the air until the combine is rescheduled amid the pandemic.

Gavitt said the NCAA will work with the National Association of Basketball Coaches to ensure the change “supports a player’s decision-making process” on the draft while also allowing them to retain their college eligibility.

The NBA announced May 1 that it was postponing the draft lottery and combine scheduled for Chicago this month.

“It’s tough to get a projected plan for how they’re going to do combines and workouts just with the virus and the impact of that on the draft, so it’s an unusual year for that,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday. “And Remy’s just going to see where he stands and then make the best decision for him.

“Alonzo I think is in a similar situation. I would anticipate today, as it stands, that we would see those guys back, but they’re going to go through their process.”

ASU’s rival, Arizona, has three early-entry candidates in guard Nico Mannion, wing Josh Green and forward Zeke Nnaji. All three are coming off their freshman seasons but are projected to enter the pro ranks and be selected in the first or second rounds of the draft.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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