Guard Rasir Bolton announced Tuesday that he is withdrawing from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to Gonzaga for his final year of NCAA eligibility.
Bolton was among a number of college basketball stars who made their decision known Tuesday, one day before the NCAA’s June 1 deadline for early entrants to withdraw from the draft and return to college.
Bolton transferred to Gonzaga after two seasons at Iowa State and one year at Penn State. In 32 starts in the Bulldogs’ backcourt, Bolton averaged 11.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He shot 50.2 percent from the floor and 46.0 percent from 3-point range.
Bolton was an All-WCC honorable mention one year after being named third-team All-Big 12 while at Iowa State.
While former Gonzaga teammate Chet Holmgren is projected to be a top-three pick in next month’s draft, held June 23 in Brooklyn, fellow Bulldogs Drew Timme and Julian Strawther also face a decision of whether to remain in the draft or run it back with one of the best teams in college hoops.
–Southern California guard Boogie Ellis withdrew from the draft and will play another season with the Trojans, Stadium reported Tuesday.
Ellis started all 33 games for USC last year and averaged career highs of 12.5 points and 2.4 assists, along with 3.3 rebounds. He made 41.7 percent of his shots from the field, including 37.6 percent of his 3-pointers, in his first season at USC after two years at Memphis.
In 92 collegiate games (75 starts), Ellis has career averages of 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game.
–North Carolina State guard Terquavion Smith, projected by some to be a late first-round selection in the draft, is pulling out and will return to the Wolfpack for his sophomore season.
“I’ve decided to play next season for NC State, the first team to offer me a scholarship,” Smith told ESPN on Tuesday. NC State also confirmed the news on its Twitter account.
The 6-foot-4 Smith made the 2021-22 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Rookie team after averaging 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 32 games (25 starts) as a freshman for the Wolfpack, who finished 11-21 overall and 4-16 in the ACC.
–DeMarr Langford Jr. will withdraw from the draft in favor of another season at Boston College, Stadium reported.
The guard played in 32 games (30 starts) last season and averaged 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He has averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 50 career games (39 starts) for the Eagles spanning two seasons.
–Northern Colorado guard Daylen Kountz will take his name out of the NBA draft and return to college next season, according to Stadium.
Kountz was a unanimous All-Big Sky first-team selection after averaging 21.2 points per game in 2021-22, which led the conference and ranked 10th in Division I.
–Field Level Media
