Recap of the biggest stay/go decisions in college basketball from a Kentucky perspective

Now that the deadline has passed for guys to decide whether to stay in the NBA Draft or return to college, we have some impactful moves to discuss regarding the Kentucky Wildcats and several of their opponents next season.

There will be many familiar names returning to the sport and appearing on Kentucky’s 2026-27 basketball schedule, as well as a really important and noteworthy name that Kentucky will have a chance to land.

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So, let’s recap how deadline day went down.

Amari Allen makes surprise return to Alabama

The 6-foot-8 forward, who had a very promising year in Tuscaloosa, officially announced his return to the school after many thought he’d stay in the draft, as he was widely projected as a late first-round pick. He was a super impactful player right away as a freshman, in many different ways.

Allen wasn’t necessarily the type of player you think of when you think of Nate Oats’ guys. He wasn’t a run-up-and-down-the-floor-and-shoot-3s type of guy; he was much more. He brought energy, tough plays, good rebounding, could still knock down threes when needed, and much more to the Crimson Tide in his freshman campaign.

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This is super significant for Oats and the Alabama program, as they needed a player in his position to come be a star for them next year. With uncertainty about their backcourt, getting Allen back is a big announcement for everyone involved in Alabama, and it likely will keep them in the top 25 of preseason rankings.

It also means Kentucky will have a tougher time getting its first win over Nate Oats in the Mark Pope era. The Tide won’t be favored to win the league with Florida and Tennessee sporting so much talent, but Allen gives them a chance to finish in the top four of the standings.

Tyler Tanner sticks with Vanderbilt

One of the most dynamic guards that Kentucky faced off against last year will be headed back to play at Vanderbilt. A Nashville native, Tanner will be a Vanderbilt Commodore for a third year. His freshman…

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Publish date : 2026-05-28 21:53:00

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