Heading into this week’s 2026 NBA Draft Combine, Arizona Wildcats star Koa Peat was widely regarded as a mid-first round pick in the draft and potentially even a late lottery candidate. But after this week’s outing in Chicago, there are a few major reasons why he should consider withdrawing from the draft and returning to Arizona for another season.
Peat’s skillset as a legitimate NBA prospect is undeniable, but he did not perform well at the combine. His vertical jump measurements were solid, but he finished last or near the bottom in many of the speed and agility tests.
The biggest concern regarding his draft stock came in the three-point shooting drills. Peat’s shooting mechanics looked unstable and wonky, as if he had been tweaking them over the last several weeks.
As a result, he shot just 6-of-25 in both the overall three-point drill as well as the spot-up three-point drill, finishing last or tied for last in both. He also shot just 10-of-15 in the side-mid-side shooting drill.
Long-range shooting has never been the focal point of Peat’s offensive game, but his cold performance at the combine could easily cause him to slide down draft boards.
“I didn’t shoot well on Monday, but that’s how shooting goes some days,” Peat said on Wednesday. “I feel like my midrange (form) is kind of the same. I’ve always had a higher release in midrange. Thought I shot the mid-range pretty solid. In my 3, trying to bring it down a little bit lower and to get more arc. It didn’t really shoot it well, but, you know, can’t get too high or too low about it.”
If he ends up sliding to the end of the first round or into the early part of the second, finances will be another factor for Peat to consider. At that draft range, he would likely make around $2-3 million in his rookie year.
But if he returns to Arizona, the Wildcats could offer him roughly $5 million in NIL money. He’ll likely end up making a lot of money in the long run no matter what, but it’s hard to turn down several million extra dollars.
Another factor that could come into play is the level of competitiveness that the Wildcats would be at if Peat were to return. He’d be playing in a stacked frontcourt alongside Motiejus Krivas as well as elite wing Ivan Kharchenkov and several high-level transfer players.
This squad would easily be back in contention for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Despite all of these factors, Peat is still expected to keep his name in the draft. In fairness, it’s hard to knock a player already as talented as Peat opting to make his NBA dream a reality as soon as possible.
He told reporters at the combine that he’s not going let the outside noise impact his decision, and rightfully so.
“I’m trying not to let that consume me, knowing that I can do other things to affect the game, affect winning,” Peat said. “I feel like I’ve won my whole career, and I feel like I can do that at the NBA stage as well.”
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
