Braylon Mullins returning to UConn, spurning NBA Draft as Huskies eye another title run

Braylon Mullins returning to UConn, spurning NBA Draft as Huskies eye another title run

In a sign of the increased compensation infiltrating college basketball, a significant prospect has passed on the NBA Draft to stay in college for the first time in a few years.

UConn freshman Braylon Mullins — a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — passed on the NBA for a year and will return for his sophomore season with the Huskies, he announced Saturday on Instagram. With the 6-foot-6 wing slated to return and a massive transfer portal haul in tow, Dan Hurley’s Huskies are set to be ranked in the top-five in preseason polls for the 2026-27 season.

On the surface, Mullins’ 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game don’t look like the stats of a surefire one-and-done player. However, NBA sources on the scouting side — who were granted anonymity to speak freely about their opinions on potential selections — saw Mullins as a lock to be selected in the top-25 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft had he declared, and noted that they saw significant potential for him to move up the board as the process wore on due to his elite shooting and off-ball movement ability. With the 2026 NBA Draft looking wide open after the top 10, Mullins was one of the players scouts pinpointed as possessing upside to be selected in the next group.

Additionally, multiple mitigating factors affected his performance at UConn this year, allowing scouts to look beyond the numbers and still be enthusiastic about selecting him early if he had declared. First, Mullins dealt with multiple ailments throughout the season, including a preseason ankle injury that sidelined him for six weeks and cost him the first six games. He also suffered a concussion against Villanova in late January, which cost him another game. Additionally, UConn plays a very egalitarian offense under Hurley, making for five double-digit scorers this past season.

Yet, ultimately, it was Mullins’ confidence and flair for the dramatic that pushed UConn through to the Final Four, as he drilled a 35-footer in the final second against Duke in the Elite 8 to cap a 19-point comeback win. It was an all-time NCAA Tournament moment, and would have provided a perfect moment for Mullins to make UConn history even if he had decided to end his time in Storrs. Then, he capped it off with a 15-point performance against Illinois in the Final Four, drilling four 3s.