Top 5 college basketball standouts that can go undrafted in 2025 NBA Draft ft. Johni Broome

Some players weren't lucky enough to have their name called in the NBA draft despite having standout college basketball careers.

Names like Armando Bacot, DJ Burns Jr, PJ Hall, Drew Timme, Johnny Juzang and Jarron Cumberland easily come to mind as players who had standout collegiate careers only to get undrafted over the past four stagings of the event.

Age and perceived lower development ceiling are some of the factors why NBA ballclubs don't draft college standouts who spent more time with their alma mater rather than trying their luck in the pros.

Here are the top five college basketball standouts in the 2024-25 season who might go undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft.

#5 Vladislav Goldin

Vladislav Goldin (Image Source: IMAGN)

Vladislav Goldin spent five seasons with Texas Tech, Florida Atlantic and Michigan and was a mean presence in the paint. The 7-foot-1 Russian center played a total of 154 games and averaged 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per outing.

Goldin shot 61.6% from the field in his career, which could sway some teams into picking him. But his age (24), free-throw shooting accuracy (66.8%) and his lack of speed could deter teams from taking a chance on him in the draft.

#4 Payton Sandfort

Payton Sandfort (Image Source: IMAGN)

Payton Sandfort played for four seasons with Iowa, where he averaged in double figures in scoring over the last three years. In 134 games with the Hawkeyes, the 6-8 forward tallied 12.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game and was an excellent free-throw shooter, making 89.6% of his attempts from the 15-foot line.

The small forward spot is one of the deepest positions in this year's draft. And with the likes of Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kon Knueppel and Collin Murray-Boyles, as well as tons of international stars enlisting their names in the draft, there's a chance Sandfort could end up as an undrafted free agent.

#3 Clifford Omoruyi

Clifford Omoruyi (Image Source: IMAGN)

Clifford Omoruyi was a defense-first big who spent five seasons at Rutgers and Alabama. The 6-11 Nigerian posted three double-figure seasons in points with the Scarlet Knights to go along with 7.8-plus rebounds and 2.0-plus blocks per outing.

His stint with the Crimson Tide was disappointing, playing only 19.2 minutes per game and tallying 7.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 1.1 bpg. Omoruyi's bad season under Nate Oats could place him in draft limbo, as teams would be discouraged from picking him aside from his advanced age of 23.

#2 Mark Sears

Mark Sears (Image Source: IMAGN)

Alabama superstar Mark Sears should've made himself eligible in the 2024 NBA draft when he had his best season with the Crimson Tide. Instead, he stayed for another season at Tuscaloosa for a shot at the 2025 national title and ended up missing 10 of his 12 shots and producing only six points in a 20-point loss to Duke in the Elite Eight.

The 6-foot-1 super senior played 170 games in five seasons with Ohio and Alabama, averaging 16.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.9 apg and 1.3 spg. His one-year overstay could play a factor in his draft aspirations, so as his colossal drop in field goal and 3-point percentage.

#1 Johni Broome

Johni Broome (Image Source: IMAGN)

Johni Broome was the undisputed face of the Auburn men's basketball team last season. The do-it-all big man was the superstar for Bruce Pearl's team, averaging 18.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.1 bpg.

The 6-foot-10 forward led the Tigers to a Final Four stint in his final year but ultimately lost to Florida in a semifinal clash. NBA draft projections place Broome between a mid-second-round choice and a late second-rounder primarily due to his draft age, lack of athleticism and limited outside shooting range.

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Edited by Geoff