Keve Aluma, Trevion Williams and Armando Bacot withdraw from NBA draft

Four more college basketball players withdrew from the 2021 NBA Draft recently.

Several NCAA basketball programs got good news on Friday as Virginia Tech’s Keve Aluma, Purdue’s Trevion Williams, and UNC’s Armando Bacot have decided to return to their respective schools for the 2021-22 season. Stetson’s Christiaan Jones also decided to return to school while Baylor guard Matthew Mayer did the same a few days ago.

Aluma was expected all along to return to Blacksburg although he did receive an invitation to the G-League Elite camp last weekend. The All-ACC second-team choice averaged 15.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists last year while helping the Hokies to a 15-7 record and an invite to the NCAA Tournament.

Aluma and fellow forward Justyn Mutts are slated to start in the frontcourt for Va. Tech, joining coach Mike Young’s three-guard lineup of Storm Murphy, Naheim Alleyne, and Tyrece Radford. The Hokies, who are expected to have one of the deepest rosters in NCAA this upcoming campaign, are still waiting on whether Wabissa Bede decides to come back for a fifth season.

Williams, who did have a private workout with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was a first-team All-Big 10 selection this past season as he produced 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds, to go along with 2.3 assists per game — becoming one of six players nationally and the only high-major to average those numbers. The 6-8, 250-pound big man is expected to heighten the expectations for a highly-touted Boilermaker squad that could make a Final Four run.

“Purdue Basketball is a family, a tradition, and a culture that is an honor to be a part of. It’s a special place to be and to develop on and off the court,” Williams told 247 Sports. “The group we have this year is special, why wouldn’t I want to be a part of this? Professional basketball has always been a goal of mine, but it will always be there. I can’t wait to get back on the court with my brothers and to help take Purdue to the next level. Year 4. All we got boys.”

The return of Bacot for first-year head coach Hubert Davis as the Tar Heels are in a transition year. The 6-10 center made strong strides in year 2 at UNC, compiling 12.3 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 62.8% from the floor. He tallied double-figures in 21 of 29 games and produced eight double-doubles.  North Carolina lost Day’Ron Sharpe to the NBA and  Walker Kessler and Garrison Brooks transferred. However, Bacot does have help in the frontcourt with Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek and Virginia transplant Justin McKoy.

More NBA draft news

• Christiaan Jones chose to return for a fifth season with the Stetson Hatters. The 6-5 guar, who officially withdrew from the NBA draft on Friday night, averaged 13.0 points along with 5.6 rebounds on 45.8% shooting from the field, 35% from the 3-point line, and 84.2% from the charity stripe.
• Baylor guard Matthew Mayer withdraw from the NBA Draft to return to the Bears for his junior campaign. Mayer, who currently seen as the best NBA prospect of the five players who recently withdrew from the draft, declined an invitation to the NBA draft combine this week as he opted to return to the Bears on Monday. The 6-9 guard was not expected to get selected in the 2021 draft. He averaged 8.1 points and 3.7 caroms last year while shooting 48.9% from the field as well as 39.6% from the 3-point line but only 59.2% from the charity stripe. Mayer will likely step into BU’s starting lineup, with the Bears losing so much talent, after coming off the bench the last two years.
• Marquette forward Dawson Garcia is still going through the NBA draft process but he entered the transfer portal on Friday. Garcia, who was fantastic at the G-League Elite camp, had a solid freshman campaign for the Golden Eagles this past season. He could still return to Milwaukee for a second season.

“I have appreciated the opportunity to explore my professional basketball career in recent months,” Garcia wrote on Twitter. “As I continue with that process, I will also be entering my  name in the NCAA transfer portal in an effort to research all of my options moving forward,  including a potential return to Marquette.”

• Former UT Volunteer star Keon Johnson set an NBA Draft record with a 48-inch vertical jump, breaking a 20-year-old record held by Kenny Gregory, who jumped 45 1/2 inches in 2001. Johnson is a potential lottery pick.

“It was great. It was a goal of mine going into it. For me to break the record and add a little                 bit more to it, I feel like it’s a great way for me to leave my mark on the draft combine,”                        Johnson told NBC Sports

• Former Michigan signee Isaiah Todd, who played for the G-League Ignite last season, did not participate in the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages. Todd has a future workout with the Washington Wizards. He is a potential mid-to-late second-round draft choice as he produced 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 games with the Ignite.
• Auburn’s JT Thor, Michigan State’s Aaron Henry, Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey, and Alabama’s John Petty also chose not to participate in the scrimmages. Thor, who has stood out at the draft combine, along with Henry and Bassey has considered borderline first-round draft picks.
• Former UNC center Day’Ron Sharpe withdrew from the NBA Draft combine on June 22. Sharpe pulled out of team interviews and didn’t participate in individual measurements.
• Oral Roberts Max Abmas was the smallest player at the NBA draft combine, measuring 5-10.5 without shoes and weighing 161.8 pounds. Abmas is a likely second-round draft choice if he remains in the draft.
• Seton Hall Pirates center Sandro Mamukelshavilli will look out for the Brooklyn Nets on July 1 and New York Knicks on July 8. Mamukelshavilli, who has a total of eight workouts slated for July, worked out with the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz.
• Oklahoma guard Austin Reeves and Baylor’s wing MaCio Teague have worked out for the San Antonio Spurs. Both players are likely second-round draft selections.
• Tennessee’s Yves Pons has worked out for the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.  Pons is a potential second-round draft pick.
• Iowa’s Joe Weiskamp has worked for the Celtics.
• Florida guard Scottie Lewis has met with 10 or 11 teams but he has only received a workout from the Houston Rockets. Milwaukee, Miami, Charlotte, Minnesota, and Denver were a few of the teams.2o
• West Virginia guard Miles McBride has garnered workouts with the Knicks and Celtics. He has also interviewed with several teams.
• Former Duke Blue Devil forward Matthew Hurt interviewed with several teams at the NBA combine, including the Dallas Mavericks. Hurt is slated to work out Boston, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Milwaukee among others.
• Former Houston Cougar guard Quentin Grimes went through private workouts with the Celtics and Pelicans.
• St. John’s forward Julian Champagnie interviewed with several teams including Portland, Minnesota, and Golden State. He also had a workout with the Celtics at the NBA Draft combine. He will work out for Indiana Pacers on July 7 and also is slated to work out with Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
• Tyson Etienne has upcoming workouts with the Warriors (June 30), Nets (July 2), and Phoenix Suns (July 6). The Wichita State point guard has already worked out with the Cavs, Celtics, and Knicks.
• Former Virginia and Marquette forward Sam Hauser has worked out for the Celtics.
• AJ Lawson, another star at the G-League Elite camp, has a workout with the Utah Jazz scheduled for July 2.

• USC’s Evan Mobley, G League Ignite Jalen Green, and Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs were expected to interview and work out with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who own the No. 3 draft pick, at the NBA draft combine. Former Duke forward Jalen Johnson met with the Cavs on June 25 while Florida State Seminole Scottie Barnes visited with the team on June 24.