The NBA draft clock is running, and for players hoping to keep their college eligibility, the decision point lands at 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27. That deadline is now forcing several prospects to say where they stand, including Ebuka Okorie, Dailyn Swain, Henri Veesaar and Isaiah Evans, who all said at the draft combine they had zero intention of withdrawing from the NBA draft.

Luigi Suigo also added a clear marker to his process, telling at the combine that Villanova and BYU are the two schools involved in his decision. For prospects still weighing whether to stay in the pool or return to campus, the final critical date on this part of the calendar is no longer abstract. It is Tuesday night.

Anderson, meanwhile, said at the combine that he was focused on the draft after averaging 18.5 points and 7.4 assists last season. Johnson took a different route, saying he wanted to talk to his agents to gather feedback before making a final decision. That kind of split is common this late in the process: some players are done deliberating, while others are still trying to get one more read before the paperwork becomes final.

Johnson’s case carries added weight because he started 40 games and helped the Wolverines win a national championship. If he returns, Michigan coach Dusty May would have another major piece as he tries to reload the frontcourt after adding Johnson, Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg last spring and Moustapha Thiam and J.P. Estrella for next season. Arizona has a different calculation with Peat, who is projected as a late first-round pick at No. 27 in ’s post-lottery mock draft.

Peat opened his college career with 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a win over then-reigning national champion Florida, a debut that helped set his draft profile. If he comes back, Arizona would benefit after Tommy Lloyd lost starting backcourt players Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley. Tanner is facing a different kind of test after measuring in at shorter than 5-foot-11 at the combine, then struggling in his second scrimmage with two points and five assists after a 13-p...

Players not invited to the combine were left out of these lists because missing that invitation is usually treated as a strong sign they should return to college. That makes the combine one of the clearest filters left in the process, and it leaves May 27 as the date that separates speculation from an answer. For the names still in play, the next move is simple: withdraw, stay in, or lose the college option.