The draft is conducted under the eligibility rules established in the league's 2023 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its players' union.
Early entrants
Players who were not automatically eligible had to declare their eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than at least 60 days before the event. For the 2026 draft, the date fell on April 24. Under the CBA a player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration deadline, which usually falls 10 days before the draft at 5:00 p.m. EDT (2100 UTC). Under current NCAA rules, players usually have until 10 days after the draft combine to withdraw from the draft and retain college eligibility.
A player who has hired an agent for purposes of negotiating with professional teams retains his remaining college eligibility regardless of whether he is drafted after an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee. Players who declare for the NBA draft and are not selected have the opportunity to return to their school for at least another year only after terminating all agreements with their agents, who must have been certified.
On April 27, 2026, the NBA announced 71 players (60 college players and 11 international prospects) who filed as early entry candidates. On May 29, 38 early entry candidates withdrew their eligibility. On June 16, three more candidates withdrew their eligibility.
College underclassmen
Darius Acuff Jr. – G, Arkansas (freshman)- Nate Ament – F, Tennessee (freshman)
/ Christian Anderson Jr. – G, Texas Tech (sophomore)- Cameron Boozer – F, Duke (freshman)
- Mikel Brown Jr. – G, Louisville (freshman)
- Brayden Burries – G, Arizona (freshman)
- Cameron Carr – G, Baylor (sophomore)
- Chris Cenac Jr. – F/C, Houston (freshman)
- AJ Dybantsa – F, BYU (freshman)
- Isaiah Evans – F, Duke (sophomore)
- Kingston Flemings – G, Houston (freshman)
- Allen Graves – F, Santa Clara (freshman)
- Morez Johnson Jr. – F, Michigan (sophomore)
Aday Mara – C, Michigan (junior)- Ebuka Okorie – G, Stanford (freshman)
- Koa Peat – F, Arizona (freshman)
- Darryn Peterson – G, Kansas (freshman)
- Labaron Philon Jr. – G, Alabama (sophomore)
- Jayden Quaintance – F/C, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Hannes Steinbach – F, Washington (freshman)
- Dailyn Swain – G/F, Texas (junior)
- Meleek Thomas – G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Bryson Tucker – F, Washington (sophomore)
Henri Veesaar – C, North Carolina (junior)- Keaton Wagler – G, Illinois (freshman)
- Caleb Wilson – F, North Carolina (freshman)
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