Chinyelu Pulls Out of 2026 NBA Draft to Focus on College

Nigerian player Rueben Chinyelu has decided to pull out of the 2026 NBA Draft. He will go back to the University of Florida for his final year. Chinyelu wants to aim for a second NCAA championship instead of joining a tough draft where he likely wouldn't be picked in the first round.

The 22-year-old had first declared for the draft while keeping his college eligibility. He hinted at the NBA Draft Combine that he might return to school based on how his prospects looked. He had until May 27 to make a final choice and he has now picked Florida.

Chinyelu is 6 feet 10 inches tall. Sports outlets in America saw him as a possible second-round pick. ESPN ranked him 48th overall, while Yahoo Sports placed him at 47th.

Even with strong performances at the combine, it became clear that getting into the first round of this competitive draft class would be hard.

This is the second year in a row that Chinyelu has decided to withdraw from the draft to stay in college basketball. He made the same choice last year during the 2025 draft process.

Although Florida could not defend their NCAA title this season, Chinyelu had a great individual year. He received the Defensive Player of the Year award from the SEC, the Naismith Awards, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

He will now return to Florida with hopes of winning a second NCAA championship before moving on to the professional level.