Arizona star forward Koa Peat announced the decision to keep his name in contention for the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday. The announcement came in light of the early-entry deadline for players to withdraw should they wish to return to college.
Peat, the 19-year-old standout for Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats, played just one season in the Big 12 before deciding to make the transition to the pros. Early mock drafts have projected Peat as a mid-to-late first-rounder, with the San Antonio Spurs being one of the possible destinations.
However, Peat’s decision to forego an additional three years has garnered concern from college basketball fans, with many echoing their feelings about the Third Team All-Big-12 Player’s readiness for the NBA.
One X (formerly Twitter) user commented:
While another fan expressed their desire to see a prospect like Peat develop in college for a couple more years before making the leap:
Another user commented:
Meanwhile, one rival fan expressed relief over Arizona losing one of its young standouts
Another fan spoke out on Peat’s inefficient shooting:
Koa Peat’s Shooting Remains Major Concern
While Peat did make waves during the regular season with Arizona, the 19-year-old’s inconsistent jumper was a major con in his game. Peat averaged 14.1 points in his rookie year, attempting just 20 three-pointers in total.
Peat’s hesitance to outside scoring became a glaring issue during his Combine workout as the Arizona forward was only able to score seven out of his 25 shots in the 3-point star drill.
Following this performance, Peat also participated in Klutch’s Pro Day. However, there was no significant improvement from his NBA Combine shooting splits. In fact, per insiders, Peat ‘bombed’ during his private showing during Klutch’s Pro Day.
Read More:
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