University of Florida center Rueben Chinyelu, who worked out with the Portland Trail Blazers before the NBA Draft Lottery, told CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein he would withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and return to the NCAA basketball national champions for his junior year.
Chinyelu worked out for both the Blazers and the Sacramento Kings, as well as participating in the G League Elite Camp, before his decision to return to collegiate basketball.
The 6’10” Nigerian averaged 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds on nearly 60 percent shooting during the 2024-25 season. The Gators immediately thrust him into the starting spot with the lingering leg injury of center Micah Handlogten. Chinyelu joins forward Thomas Baugh in returning for Florida’s title defense.
Chinyelu started his collegiate career at Washington State University, where he averaged 4.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on 61.7 percent shooting, but transferred to Florida in April 2024.
Portland fell in the draft order during the Lottery, as the Dallas Mavericks jumped everyone to secure the first pick, and moved the Blazers to the 11th pick from 10th. Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin expressed his disappointment with the result, but is still confident in his ability to capitalize on his team’s draft position.
“Of course, you always want to move up,” Cronin condeded to gathered reporters in a presser after the fact. “This is a draft that we like. We like the depth of it. There’s good players all throughout the lottery.”
The Blazers are looking to add more young pieces to a squad which is laden with young talent, including defensive stalwart Toumani Camara who represented the Blazers at the lottery, center Donovan Clingan who led everyone on his team but DeAndre Ayton in rebounds as a rookie and third-overall pick Scoot Henderson, who the Blazers have high hopes for. Also in the mix are Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons.
While the Blazers may be missing out on Chinyelu this season, they have the young talent to be a powerhouse when he declares for the draft next year or the year after.
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