Okorie, Veesaar, Evans say they will remain in NBA draft

CHICAGO -- Stanford's Ebuka Okorie, North Carolina's Henri Veesaar and Duke's Isaiah Evans plan to stay in the NBA draft, each player said on Wednesday at the NBA draft combine.

All three were projected as late first-rounders in ESPN's post-lottery mock draft.

Okorie, a 6-foot-2 guard, was one of the best freshmen in the country last season and is on track to go from an unranked three-star recruit to a one-and-done first-rounder.

"I already talked with Coach Smith, Kyle Smith, and I talked to my agents and my family," Okorie said. "I'm staying in the draft."

Veesaar ran his initial NBA draft decision to just before the late April deadline, following a breakout season under Hubert Davis in which he averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds. The Estonia native had conversations with new coach Michael Malone prior to the deadline, but he's intent on staying in the draft.

"I'm all-in on staying in the draft," Veesaar said. "It's 100% my decision to stay. I think it's the right decision, basketball-wise."

His former Tobacco Road rival, Duke's Evans, has also closed the door on a return to college. He said he hasn't had any conversations with Jon Scheyer or the Blue Devils about going back to Durham.

"I'm fully in," Evans said.

Meanwhile, Michigan forward Morez Johnson remains open as he goes through the NBA draft process. Johnson was No. 20 in ESPN's post-lottery mock draft after starting all 40 games during the Wolverines' national championship run. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds.

"I have to talk to my agents and ... see what type of feedback they've been getting," Johnson said Wednesday. "I've just been focused on the combine and the draft and the task at hand and just having a good week here in Chicago and letting my agents do all the stuff with the GM and all that stuff.

"Dusty [May] has been very supportive. He's not pressuring me to come back at all. He wants me to attack this thing with two feet in until otherwise."

Texas Tech's Christian Anderson, Arizona's Koa Peat, Alabama's Amari Allen and former Baylor wing Tounde Yessoufou all said they're focused on the NBA draft but didn't close the door on a return to college. Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas said he's "TBD" on his stay-or-go decision.

Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic and former Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, both of whom are in the transfer portal, said they would prefer to stay in the NBA draft if they were first-round picks.

Momcilovic said he hasn't spoken to any colleges, although sources have indicated that Kentucky, Louisville, St. John's and UCLA are among the schools involved.

Graves said LSU and Duke were his two favorites and the only schools with which he's had conversations.

The deadline for players to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to college is May 27.