USC trio headlines early entrants as NBA announces 2026 draft candidate list

Mar 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Jaden Brownell (33), forward Terrance Williams II (5), forward Jacob Cofie (6) and guard Alijah Arenas (0) react after the game against the UCLA Bruins at the Galen Center.

(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

LOS ANGELES -- Freshman guard Alijah Arenas, sophomore forward Jacob Cofie and 7-foot-5 junior center Gabe Dynes are headed to the next level — at least for now.

The trio from USC Trojans men's basketball highlighted the list of 71 early entry candidates announced Monday by the National Basketball Association for the 2026 draft, giving USC one of the largest representations of any program in this year’s class.

Arenas, a 6-foot-6 freshman, is widely viewed as one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft pool after a standout debut season in Los Angeles. Cofie, a 6-10 sophomore, brings frontcourt versatility, while Dynes, at 7-5, is one of the tallest players available and a potential developmental prospect drawing interest from NBA teams.

The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the first round on June 23 and the second round on June 24.

While USC’s trio headlines the local story, the early entry class features several of college basketball’s top names. Cameron Boozer of Duke is among the projected top picks, along with AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, each considered elite prospects in a deep class.

West Coast programs are also represented beyond USC. Ebuka Okorie declared after his freshman season at Stanford, while Colby Garland and Allen Graves add to the California contingent.

Players who declared as early entrants have until June 13 to withdraw from the draft. Under NCAA rules, the deadline to maintain college eligibility is May 27, leaving several weeks for prospects to gather feedback from NBA teams before making a final decision.

The international field also includes 11 players from leagues across Europe and Australia, continuing the NBA’s global pipeline.