NCAA Basketball: 10 teams with most to lose with pending 2023 NBA Draft decisions

The first deadline regarding the NBA Draft has recently passed for players still with eligibility to enter. Due to the extra covid year, there are a bunch of seniors who needed to “enter” thanks to a 5th year available. A good number of them have entered with the intention of staying in, while others are likely coming back.

In the month of May, there are still dozens and dozens of players not likely to get selected in the first round of the NBA Draft and have some difficult decisions to make. And from an NCAA Basketball standpoint, there are a number of teams that could either be a Final Four contender depending on who comes back or could be unranked for the 2023-24 campaign.

Here’s a look at the top 10 teams whose futures depend on what happens in the next few weeks.

10. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Players to watch: Anton Watson and Malachi Smith

Losing All-American big man Drew Timme among several roster departures made it an important offseason for reloading for the program. But they’ve done a great job so far, landing Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard, Wyoming big man Graham Ike and Eastern Washington wing and Big Sky Player of the Year, Steele Venters.

That’s three starters on the roster now and they have good depth off the bench, including Ben Gregg and top-40 incoming prospect, Dusty Stromer. But they have a couple of glue guys that could make them a top-10 team next season. Anton Watson averaged a career-high 11.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg and is a skilled two-way player. And Malachi Smith was at times the only guard that could score for Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament.

Both players are seniors with an extra year and if they return, could actually start with the Bulldogs. If neither returns, they’ll have to go back to the portal in hopes of a viable starter or two that’s available.