Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu continues to weigh his options. The 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is deciding whether to return to Florida for his senior season or remain in this year’s NBA draft. The Nigerian-born, 6-foot-10-inch center boosted his draft stock this past season after claiming All-SEC honors and averaging 10.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest.
Chinyelu played a huge part in helping the Gators capture the SEC regular-season title and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. A contributing member of the 2025 championship team, the 22-year-old is projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick by CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein. Scouts view the big man as an intriguing developmental piece at the next level. His size, mobility and defensive awareness are compelling traits for evaluators.
Speaking with Andy Katz this week in Chicago, Chinyelu discussed the factors that would be decisive in his conclusion.
“My decision, it just depends on where I’m going to be picked in the draft,” Chinyelu said. “I had this conversation when I was being interviewed by some of the teams.
“So, I already told them and they know. It just depends on where I’m going to be falling in the draft pick. That’s something I’m going to weigh and ultimately decide if I want to stay in the draft or I want to go back to school.”
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Rueben Chinyelu discusses NBA decision hanging over Florida basketball
Reporting by Michael Long, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
