UConn’s Final Four hero makes decision about entering NBA draft

Freshman Braylon Mullins nailed the biggest shot in UConn Huskies men’s basketball history during this year’s NCAA Tournament.

With the Huskies trailing the Duke Blue Devils 72-70 and the clock ticking down, Mullins intercepted a deflected pass near mid-court. He passed to Alex Karaban, who sent the ball right back to Mullins.

The Indiana native fired up a 35-foot shot from next to the March Madness logo. It swished through the net with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn an improbable 73-72 win and a berth in the Final Four.

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On Saturday, April 18, Mullins made a decision on his future that may result in more magic for the Huskies.

According to On3 college basketball reporter Joe Tipton, Mullins will return to UConn for his sophomore campaign.

The 6-foot-6 Mullins started 29 of the 33 games he played, averaging 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He connected on 33.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.

UConn finished 34-6 after falling in the national title game to the Michigan Wolverines. Led by head coach Dan Hurley, the Huskies won national titles in 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, the ESPN NBA draft big board ranked Mullins as the 17th-best prospect for the 2026 draft.

“Teams will be eager to see more of him on the ball in predraft workouts as they assess what else he can bring offensively beyond his gravity as a shooter,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote before Saturday’s announcement. “There’s also a real opportunity to go higher in the 2027 draft, which is currently lighter on top-end talent, if he returns to what would presumably be a heavily featured role for the Huskies.”