The SEC basketball world exploded in the final hours before the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline. Three star players – Labaron Philon (Alabama), Otega Oweh (Kentucky) and Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn) stunned college basketball by returning to school, dramatically reshaping conference expectations.
CBS Sports insider Gary Parrish declared the moves transformative for the league on his podcast. The trio’s collective return, highlighted by Philon’s last-minute withdrawal just 29 minutes before the deadline, has strategically positioned the SEC for unparalleled dominance.
Star Trio’s Return Reshapes SEC Powerhouse Programs
Philon’s decision caught everyone off guard, especially after he declared himself “all in on the draft” at the NBA combine earlier this month. Parrish revealed the stark reality behind the withdrawal as without Labaron, Alabama aren’t a top-20 team.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS: The 2025-26 @CBSSports preseason Top 25 And 1 has been updated to reflect recent developments.
Version 15
1. St. John’s
2. Houston
3. BYU
4. Purdue
5. UConn
6. Florida
7. Texas Tech
8. Michigan
9. Duke
10. UCLAhttps://t.co/a1WeW6Px5m— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) May 29, 2025
The analyst explained two key factors drove Philon’s choice – a “decent NIL” package and concerning NBA Draft feedback. Despite being ranked in the “top 30” on draft boards, Philon faced uncertainty about guaranteed contracts and draft position, making his college return more attractive.
Parish called the decision “sensible” outlining the stark contrast between NBA uncertainty and college stability. “This makes the most sense to me” he stated adding that if Philon were his son, he would have advised the same choice.
The return transforms Alabama’s roster dynamics significantly. After losing key players like Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, retaining Philon alongside Aiden Holloway creates a formidable backcourt. Parrish moved Alabama up to 14th in his rankings, citing the addition of “undeniably talented” transfer Jalil Bethea from Miami.
Kentucky’s retention of Otega Oweh was equally expected by Parrish, who never anticipated him going anywhere other than Kentucky. With Oweh projected as Kentucky’s “best and most important player” by the analyst, the Wildcats maintain their top-12 ranking despite the predictable nature of his return.
Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford completed the trio, though insiders suggests the Tigers “don’t look as strong heading into next season” compared to last year, ranking them 19th despite the guard’s return. The collective decisions were deemed “totally expected” by the analyst.
The broader implications extend beyond individual decisions. Parrish noted that all three players wanted to stay in the draft initially, but the SEC’s financial resources proved decisive. He emphasized this wasn’t coincidental, stating the conference “had money to throw around.”
Despite retaining these stars, Parish’s current rankings show only one SEC team (Florida) in his top 10. He defended this positioning by noting that Oweh and Pettiford were already projected to return in his previous rankings, meaning their decisions were already factored into his assessments from the start.
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This trio’s decision to return college basketball signals a shifting paradigm where established programs leverage financial power to retain elite talent. The SEC’s ability to convince three borderline NBA prospects to stay demonstrates the conference’s growing influence in shaping player decisions through substantial NIL opportunities.
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