St. John’s guard RJ Luis and Florida State wing Jamir Watkins declared for the 2025 NBA Draft earlier this spring, opting to keep their professional options open while also entering the NCAA transfer portal. With the withdrawal deadline approaching, both players remain in the draft process and have yet to announce whether they will return to the college ranks.
Luis, the 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, and Watkins, a breakout performer in the ACC, are two of the most intriguing names still undecided—but their status may not be in doubt for much longer.
John Rothstein Expects Both Prospects to Stay in the Draft
CBS Sports insider John Rothstein weighed in on the current status of Luis and Watkins during a recent segment, providing insight into where the two prospects currently stand.
“Some guys who are still in the NBA draft process and have not yet withdrawn are RJ Lewis from St. John’s—who has publicly said that he plans to be all focused in on the NBA Draft—and Jamir Watkins from Florida State,” Rothstein said.
Rothstein added that if either player were to return to college, they would be heavily pursued. “They would become heavily, heavily, heavily recruited commodities,” he said. While he stopped short of reporting anything official, Rothstein shared that his expectation is for both Luis and Watkins to remain in the draft.
Luis confirmed his focus on the draft in an interview with ESPN earlier this month, telling Jeff Borzello, “I’m not even thinking about that right now, to be honest,” when asked about a possible return to college.
Watkins, meanwhile, appears to be gaining traction among NBA teams. The Florida State wing recently worked out for the Toronto Raptors and posted about his visit to the OVO Athletic Centre on social media, suggesting continued professional interest.
RJ Luis Navigates Draft Process After Breakout Season
RJ Luis’ junior year at St. John’s had the makings of a star turn. After transferring from UMass, he averaged 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, capturing Big East Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player honors while leading the Red Storm to their first conference title in nearly a quarter-century.
But the high ended on a sour note. In a Round of 32 loss to Arkansas, Luis shot just 3-for-17 and was benched in the game’s final minutes, fueling criticism that ultimately led him to delete his Instagram.
Now 22, Luis sits at No. 72 on ESPN’s draft board and No. 4 in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings. Yet, his performance at the NBA Draft Combine did not help his case. He went a combined 11-for-29 across two scrimmages and posted a -41 plus-minus. C
BS Sports’ Kyle Boone labeled him one of the “losers” of the combine, writing that Luis “failed to flash in a big way.”
Jamir Watkins Building Momentum with Strong Combine Showing
Watkins, a 6’6″ wing with a nearly 7′ wingspan, transferred to Florida State from VCU and emerged as one of the ACC’s most impactful players. He posted 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, earning All-ACC Second Team honors.
At the NBA Draft Combine, Watkins stood out during scrimmage play, most notably recording 23 points in his second game. His athleticism, defensive versatility, and size make him an appealing second-round prospect, particularly for teams like Toronto that value multi-positional wings.
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At 23 years old, Watkins is one of the older prospects in the draft class, but he continues to draw interest from NBA franchises, reinforcing the possibility that he will remain in the draft and forgo a return to the college level.
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