NBA Draft: Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey, 21, opts to return to school for senior season

Viewed by supposed pundits as just a second-round talent, Zach Edey, 7-foot-4 Purdue center, has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and will return to school for his final season, where he is expected to beat the contenders for the Boilermakers’ national title will be in 2023-24.

Edey’s predecessor as National Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky, remains in the draft, while Connecticut’s reign as NCAA champion begins with several starters leaving for the pros, with one major exception.

Edey and UConn guard Tristen Newton were among the notable names who announced their withdrawal from the draft on Wednesday, the NCAA’s deadline for players who declared as early entrants to withdraw and maintain their college eligibility.

Edey’s decision came Wednesday night, in social media posts from both the center and the Boilermakers program that earned a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA tournament behind Edey, the Associated Press’ national player of the year.

But Tshiebwe announced late in the afternoon that he would remain in the draft following a college career that included being named AP National Player of the Year in 2022.

Edey’s predecessor as Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe (right), remains in the draft

For the current champions, Newton (10.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds) returns after being one of four Huskies to enter the draft following a run-up to UConn’s fifth national championship in early April. He scored a game-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds in the title game victory over San Diego State.

The others were Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo, wing Jordan Hawkins and versatile guard Andre Jackson Jr. Sanogo (17.8 points) and Hawkins (16.3) have made it clear that they have closed the door to their college careers, while team spokesman Phil Chardis said Wednesday night that Jackson (6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists ) would remain in the draft.

The Huskies have 247sports’ No. 3-ranked recruiting class for next year to complete the roster, led by McDonald’s All-American point guard Stephon Castle.

The NBA’s withdrawal deadline is June 12, but is moot when it comes to college players returning to school due to the NCAA’s earlier timeline to remain fit to play.

STAY AT SCHOOL

TREY ALEXANDER: Creighton gets back a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.6 points and shot 41 percent from 3-point range in his first full season as a starter.

BREATH BONA: The 6-foot-10 forward and Pac-12 freshman of the year returns to UCLA after starting 32 games as a rookie and averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks — with coach Mick Cronin touted his toughness for “competing through multiple injuries for as long as he could” in a statement Wednesday.

EDEY: He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists while shooting 60.7 percent from the field. His mere presence helps Purdue play a part in the Big Ten race.

JOSIAH JORDAN JAMES: The 6-6 guard went through the NBA G League Combine and trained with multiple teams before opting to return to Tennessee for a fifth season alongside teammate Santiago Vescovi.

Only Brandon Miller of Alabama and Nate Calmese of Lamar scored more as freshmen than Mintz

JUDAH MINTZ: The 6-3 freshman averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists for Syracuse, ranking third among Division I freshmen, behind only Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Lamar’s Nate Calmese.

RETURNED OWLS: Florida Atlantic got some good news after the surprise Final Four run with returning top scorers Johnell Davis (13.8) and Alijah Martin (13.4). ESPN first reported their decisions, while Martin later posted a statement on social media.

TERRENCE SHANNON JR.: Illinois got a big boost when Shannon announced his return in a social media post Wednesday night. The 6-6 guard returns for a fifth college season after averaging 17.2 points.

RETURNED SPARTANS: Michigan State has announced that guards Jaden Akins and AJ Hoggard have withdrawn from the NBA draft. Striking guard Tyson Walker had retired earlier in April, giving Tom Izzo five of his top scorers back.

Brice Sensabaugh #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes enters the game during the Big Ten tournament

GO PROFESSIONAL

KOBE BROWN: Missouri’s 6-8 swingman opted not to return for a fifth college season after being an AP Southeastern Conference first-team selection last season with a 15.8-point average.

JAYLEN CLARK: The third-year UCLA guard averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds as he led the Pac-12 with 2.6 steals en route to Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year title. Cronin called him a winner with strong intangibles who made UCLA “a better program because he chose to be a Bruin.”

BRICE SENSABUGH: The Ohio State freshman averaged 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 31 games before missing his final two in the Big Ten Tournament due to a knee injury. He is a potential candidate in the first round.

TSHIEBWE: The 6-9, 260-pound forward is a tough domestic presence who led the country in rebounds for two consecutive seasons (15.1 in 2022, 13.7 in 2023) while racking up 48 double-doubles. But he faces an uncertain next stop and is projected as a second-round prospect at best.