The NCAA's withdrawal deadline for the NBA Draft has come and gone. It was terrific news for Alabama, which unexpectedly saw Labaron Philon exit the draft and return to the Crimson Tide just two weeks after closing the door on a potential return to Tuscaloosa.
Philon's decision was not only good news for Alabama basketball moving forward, but potentially good news for his former teammate.
Guys like Philon and Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford withdrawing at the last minute increases the chances that Mark Sears hears his name called on draft night next month.
Following the withdrawal deadline, ESPN's Jonathan Givony posted his updated Top 100 Big Board for the 2025 NBA Draft. It included three Crimson Tide players.
The top Alabama player on his board is now Sears. According to Givony, Sears is the No. 63 overall player in the draft. That puts him right outside of the draft range. Unfortunately for Sears and other fringe prospects, there's one less pick than usual this year.
The New York Knicks were forced to forfeit their second-round pick in this year's draft due to tampering with Jalen Brunson in free agency. So, instead of the usual 60 picks there will only be 59 players selected.
Sears' three-point shooting during drills at the NBA Combine opened up some eyes. He was the best shooter in Chicago. The knock on him continues to be his size, and his game tape from last season playing against bigger guards won't do him any favors.
Still, his production and his ability as a three-point shooter could intrigue teams near the back half of the second round to take a flier on him. He'll almost certainly get a shot in the NBA's G-League regardless.
Grant Nelson and Cliff Omoruyi are also ranked on Givony's Big Board
Following closely behind Sears is Grant Nelson, who checks in at No. 65. That puts Nelson right alongside his teammate as a fringe draft pick. Like Sears, Nelson opened up some eyes at the Combine. He had a record-breaking time in the Shuttle Drill.
Working against Nelson is his slight frame that will make it challenging for him to play minutes at the 5 in the NBA. He's likely relegated more to a PF, but he's not a good enough shooter at this point to be a modern-day stretch-four.
But his energy, effort, and athleticism are intriguing traits that could see him get selected late in the second-round. Like Sears, Nelson should get an opportunity in the G-League.
Clifford Omoruyi rounds out the list for Alabama, coming in at No. 73 overall. Unfortunately, Omoruyi didn't earn an invite to the Combine so he wasn't able to showcase his skills against other prospects.
He didn't quite have the impact at Alabama that Nate Oats and company hoped for, but he was still a productive player and one of the top leverage players for the Crimson Tide. He's just not quite as athletic as many expected, which will likely hold him back from that athletic, energy back-up five he would need to be to earn an NBA shot.
The trio will be looking to break Alabama's one year absence from the NBA Draft. The Tide did not have a player selected last year after seeing two players (Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney) selected in the first-round in 2023.