Amari Allen is headed back to college basketball.
The Green Bay area native announced on May 27 that he is pulling his name out of the NBA draft and will return to Alabama for his sophomore season.
Allen’s decision came a few hours before the NCAA’s deadline for underclassmen to return to school from the draft process.
Allen was the Gatorade state player of the year at Aswaubenon High School in 2025 after averaging 34.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game.
That versatility endeared him to Alabama coach Nate Oats, another Wisconsin native. As a freshman, he played 32 minutes per game for one of the top teams in the country.
NBA teams liked Allen’s ability to fit into a team as a glue guy. But at the NBA combine earlier in May, Allen was measured at just over 6 feet 5 inches after being listed at 6-8 at Alabama, so there were concerns about his ability to defend guards and bigger forwards in the NBA.
Viewed as a likely second-round pick, Allen will return to the Crimson Tide and can polish his skills as the team’s go-to player. Playing for a Southeastern Conference school, Allen will also likely earn more money from revenue-sharing and name, image and likeness deals than as a second-round pick in the NBA.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Green Bay ‘s Amari Allen pulls out of 2026 NBA Draft, returns to Alabama
Reporting by Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
