Despite the brilliance of 60 young college and international talents who achieved their dreams in the 2026 NBA Draft, many other promising high school and international basketball athletes ended up not being selected, becoming free agents. The two-day event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn marked the entry of these new talents into the league. The selection began with the Washington Wizards choosing BYU star AJ Dybantsa as the first overall pick, and ended with Malique Lewis, selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 60th and final position.
While the first round of the selection process followed predictions, the second day brought unexpected twists and turns. Athletes like Duke’s Isaiah Evans, Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas and North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar were among the high-profile names who weren’t called up. These three even anticipated leaving college basketball to apply for the Draft, which could have generated more financial gains from image contracts at their former institutions.
Veesaar, who was considered a promising pick, had one of the most unexpected falls by not being drafted until the end of the event.
Among the talents who did not receive a call, Milos Uzan stands out, the Houston star, who had postponed his entry into the draft the previous year for another college season. Kylan Boswell, a key part of the Illinois team that reached the semifinals last season, was also not selected. Boswell was, in fact, the player with the highest rating in the CBS Sports ranking among those not drafted, raising questions about the perception of value of NBA scouts and the focus on younger players and players from international leagues, who often have greater resale potential and a lower risk of injuries.
However, the end of the Draft does not mean the end of opportunities for these young people. Shortly after the end of the event, some athletes who were not selected secured two-way contracts with NBA franchises, which allow them to play both on the main team and in the G-League. Other names will have the chance to show their value in the NBA Summer League, thus seeking a place in the league. Below is a look at the top prospects who were still available after Wednesday’s second round.
Outstanding college athletes who were not chosen in the NBA Draft
- Classification Player School Position
- 46 Kylan Boswell Illinois Free Classification
- 47 Milos Uzan Houston Free Rating
- 52 Aaron Nkrumah Tennessee State SG
- 54 Keyshawn Hall Auburn San Francisco
- 55 Nate Bittle Oregon C
- 57 Rafael Castro George Washington C
- 58 Nick Boyd Wisconsin Free Rating
- 60 Quadir Copeland North Carolina State Free Classification
- 61 Tamin Lipsey Iowa State Free Classification
- 62 Malik Reneau Miami PF
- 64 Tucker DeVries Indiana San Francisco
- 65 Pedro Suder Miami (Ohio) SG
- 66 Cade Tyson Minnesota San Francisco
- 68 Jaden Henley Grand Canyon San Francisco
- 70 Noam Yaakov Israel Free Classification
- 71 Lamar Wilkerson Indiana SG
- 72 Darrion Williams North Carolina State San Francisco
- 74 Tobe Awaka Arizona PF
- 75 Ernest Udeh Jr. Miami C
- 76 Graham Ike Gonzaga C
- 77 Elijah Mahi Santa Clara PF
- 78 Seth Trimble North Carolina Free Classification
- 79 Chris Bell California San Francisco
- 80 Melvin Council Jr. Kansas Free Classification
Immediate opportunities: Released players who signed contracts with NBA franchises
- Player Faculty/Staff NBA team Type of contract Source
- AK Okereke Vanderbilt Lakers Two-Way SOURCE
- Tre Donaldson Miami Heat Bidirectional SOURCE
- Josh Dix Creighton Two-Way Thunder SOURCE
- Quadir Copeland North Carolina State Two-Way Rockets SOURCE
- Rafael Castro George Washington Dollars Bidirectional SOURCE
- Jaylin Sellers Providence Bulls Bidirectional SOURCE
- Carson Cooper Michigan State Grizzly Bears Two-Way SOURCE
- Pedro Suder Miami (OH) Lakers Two-Way SOURCE
- Tobe Awaka Arizona Bulls Two-Way SOURCE
- KeShawn Murphy Auburn Wizards Attachment-10 SOURCE
- Lamar Wilkerson Indiana Thunder Annex-10 SOURCE
- Ben Humrocous Illinois Networks Annex-10 SOURCE
- Mast Rienk Nebraska Pacers Annex-10 SOURCE
- J’Vonne Hadley Louisville Warm Up Attachment-10 SOURCE