As the NBA draft withdrawal deadline is just around the corner, many prospects are going to be forced to make a difficult decision as for what their future in basketball will be. One of those players is former Wisconsin Badger John Blackwell, who has had quite the roller coaster experience between now and the last time he stepped foot on the hardwood in a Wisconsin uniform.
Directly following the end of the season, Blackwell made the decision to enter his name into the NBA Draft, along with throwing his name into the transfer portal, eventually committing to Duke. That decision, of course, came with a plethora of controversy, but Blackwell seemed certain that the decision was for the betterment of his future.
However, with all that aside, his name was still in the NBA Draft pool as well, meaning that a good pre-draft process could be enough for him to forgo any remaining eligibility and stay committed to his NBA dream. With that said, things didn't go exactly to plan, as after a rocky draft combine and a couple of workouts with teams, Blackwell made the decision to return to school for his senior season.
John Blackwell - one of top collegiate guards in country - is withdrawing from 2026 NBA Draft to finalize transfer to Duke for senior year, sources tell me. He averaged 19.1 points for Wisconsin last season. Repped by Todd Ramasar and Alexis Liatsos of Life Sports Agency. pic.twitter.com/KfyzYaFdA4
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 22, 2026
Why John Blackwell pulled his name out of the NBA Draft
aDespite proving himself to be one of the best scorers and shooters in the country last season, averaging 19.1 points a game and shooting 38.9% from three, many believed that Blackwell’s game lacked the nuance needed to be an NBA player. Many point to his less-than-exuberant playmaking ability, evident by his assist rate sitting at just 13.3% last season, and even his subpar rim finishing as he converted on just 55.8% of his looks around the basket last season.
His defense, too, left a lot to be desired last season, as after building himself a resume as a solid defender, Blackwell seemed to regress a bit last season, particularly at the point of attack. Even worse is the fact that his rim-finishing and defensive deficiencies are directly correlated with his lack of elite positional length and athleticism, adding to the already loaded pile of skepticism.
With all that said, all hope is not lost for his NBA future. If Blackwell were to stay in the draft this year, he likely would've been taken with a second-round pick, even with his existing flaws. Now, returning to school for another year, Blackwell has feedback on what NBA teams wish to see him improve on and points of emphasis for his development. If he can continue to improve the way he has over the last three years, along with improving on the specific things he got feedback on, there is a good chance Blackwell could hear his name called very high in the 2027 NBA draft.
Add us as a preferred source on Google