RismadarVoice Reporters, May 23, 2026
Nigerian basketball star, Rueben Chinyelu has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to the University of Florida for his senior year, opting to pursue another NCAA championship rather than entering a highly competitive draft class.
The 22-year-old centre had declared for the draft while maintaining his college eligibility and indicated during the NBA Draft Combine that a return to college remained a strong possibility depending on his draft prospects.
Chinyelu, who stands at 6ft 10in, was projected as a second-round pick by major American sports outlets, with ESPN ranking him 48th overall and Yahoo Sports placing him 47th.
Although he impressed during the combine, reports suggested that securing a first-round selection in the talent-packed 2026 draft class would be difficult.
This marks the second straight year the Nigerian centre has withdrawn from the NBA Draft process to continue his college career, having made a similar decision during the 2025 cycle.
Despite Florida’s inability to retain its NCAA title this season, Chinyelu delivered an outstanding individual performance and was named Defensive Player of the Year by the SEC, the Naismith Awards, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
He is expected to return to Florida with the ambition of winning a second NCAA championship before eventually making the transition to professional basketball.
