Toledo point guard RayJ Dennis withdraws from 2023 NBA Draft

One of the Transfer Portal’s top prizes confirmed he will play college basketball next year and not enter the 2023 NBA Draft. That player is Toledo point guard RayJ Dennis, who informed college hoops insider Jon Rothstein on Tuesday that he is not staying in the draft. Here was that report:

“RayJ Dennis tells me that he will withdraw from the 2023 NBA Draft following today’s workout with the Milwaukee Bucks. Dennis — a transfer from Toledo — remains a highly coveted member of PORTAL KOMBAT.”

Dennis is currently being pursued heavily by Big Ten powerhouses Michigan and Illinois along with Baylor and, surprisingly, Utah. Dennis’ recruitment now becomes one of the biggest remaining in the ’23 portal cycle, as he averaged 19.6 points and 5.8 assists per game a year ago and would be a massive boost to whichever program ultimately lands him.

Now that he’s confirmed to be back, Dennis becomes the No. 3 top remaining transfer target still left on the market by the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings. He’s also the No. 1 available point guard.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, while Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is expected to handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, which is also the start of the NBA Conference Finals.