The deadline for withdrawing from the 2025 NBA Draft revealed a significant trend: numerous top prospects opted to return to college, leaving a deep draft class notably diminished. Talented players like Duke's Cooper Flagg and Texas' Tre Johnson remain, but the lower rounds are thinning out. The primary reason is the rise of NIL money, which has made it financially impractical for borderline draft picks to risk their futures. Athletes now can earn substantial NIL deals instead, leading many to choose college over uncertain draft outcomes, as seen with Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford.
As the NIL money becomes huge enough, players who are not among the top 15-20 picks will find it unwise to ignore lucrative deals for uncertain NBA futures.
The 2025 NBA Draft looks like a completely normal one at the top half of the first round, then has the bottom fall out once we hit the second.
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