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The UConn basketball team got huge news in the form of an NBA Draft decision from a player that helped the program win back-to-back national titles. Alex Karaban is returning for his senior year.
The 6-foot-8 forward removed his name from professional consideration prior to an unveiling of early entry candidates. He’ll be back with the Huskies for one more season with sights set on a third championship.
Karaban has spent three years in Storrs where he’s started 110 games. Most viewed him as a second-round pick after averaging a career-high 14.3 points per contest in 2024-25.
The Southborough, MA native is a dangerous shooter that’s twice been named to All-Big East teams. He’s connected at a 37.5% clip from beyond the arc to go along with his 84% success rate from the line.
A number of factors played into the decision to stay. Money was one of them. Rob Dauster of The Field of 68 broke down his reasoning for returning on Tuesday.
Alex Karaban will make more money as a college player.
That wasn’t necessarily the case following his sophomore year. Dauster suggests that he had a seven-figure offer from an NBA team, which he spurned to pursue a three-peat.
This year, the tables might be turned.
“I think last year was the real decision,” Dauster said. “Last year was the one where he had a choice to make. He probably left some money on the table by deciding to come back to school instead of going and taking the deal that was there in the NBA.
“This year, it flipped, right? This year, if he had declared… he’s probably looking at being a second-round pick. He’s probably looking at being a G-League guy. I don’t know if that offer would still be on the table for him because of the year that he had.
“The money that he’s going to get for coming back – it’s a big number. It’s going to be something where, financially, this is the right move to make. He’s going to make more money from NIL at UConn than he would in the NBA Draft.”
Karaban was projected to go at No. 45 to the Chicago Bulls in the latest mock draft on NBA.com. Last year’s 45th pick, Jamal Shead, signed a three-year deal worth $6.11 million (roughly $2 million per year).
The most recent NIL valuation for Karaban was $1.8 million. His next deal with UConn is expected to exceed the potential NBA payout.
Dauster also noted that Karaban’s stock likely dropped a bit due to having to play out of position last season. Despite the spike in scoring, he recorded career-lows in shooting percentage. Simply put, he was asked to do too much.
That shouldn’t be the case next season. UConn is expected to have a loaded roster that allows Alex Karaban to return to his former role. The decision is not only be financially savvy, but as Dauster states, it could be beneficial to future draft outlook in 2026.
Dan Hurley will certainly welcome his star player back for one final run. UConn will look to get back to the NCAA Tournament for a sixth straight year with hopes of cutting down a few more nets.