CBS breaks the top-4 lock, eligibility reform gets revised, and Moreno picks Kentucky
CBS Sports' David Cobb upended the five-mock-draft consensus on June 2 by elevating North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson to #2 for the Jazz — the first movement in the locked top four since the May 27 deadline. On the governance side, basketball coaches helped push the NCAA Division I Cabinet to revise the "5-in-5" eligibility clock on June 5. A formal vote is scheduled for June 23-24, the same days as the NBA Draft. Kentucky center Malachi Moreno also confirmed his sophomore return this week.
NCAA basketball weekly roundup — June 1–8, 2026.
Three weeks out from the June 23-24 NBA Draft, the mock draft consensus that held firm through the May 27 withdrawal deadline finally got its first crack. The eligibility reform debate moved off the political track and into basketball's own governance structure. And Kentucky filled the last hole in an unusually deep offseason roster. Here's what happened.
Mock drafts: CBS breaks the top-4 consensus
For four straight weeks after the May 27 deadline, five major outlets published mocks projecting the same top four in the same order: AJ Dybantsa (BYU) at #1, Darryn Peterson (Kansas) at #2, Cameron Boozer (Duke) at #3, Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) at #4. On June 2, CBS Sports' David Cobb ended that.
In his updated mock, Cobb slid Wilson — a 6-10 forward from North Carolina — up to #2 for the Utah Jazz, dropping Peterson to #3 (Memphis Grizzlies) and Boozer to #4 (Chicago Bulls). 1 His rationale: Utah's frontcourt is already packed with height — Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, and Filip Filipowski are all 6-foot-11 or taller — so adding another big doesn't fit. Wilson's movement and defensive range are what the Jazz actually lack. On Peterson, Cobb pointed to the 11 games he missed during his lone season at Kansas with cramping issues as a medical red flag that makes Utah hesitant. "Following that logic, the franchise will wind up taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick... But given the red flags Peterson showed during his lone season with the Jayhawks... there could be another route for the Jazz," Cobb wrote. 1 On Wilson: "Wilson's defensive versatility and athleticism at the four sets him apart from the other towering presences on Utah's roster. He's also an A+ culture piece with loads of long-term upside." 1
The four other mocks published this week — Sam Vecenie at The Athletic (June 8), Kevin O'Connor at Yahoo Sports (June 5, version 7.0), Babcock Hoops (June 3), and SB Nation (June 8) — all kept the original order. 2345 Dybantsa remains unanimous at #1 across all five.
| Pick | Vecenie (6/8) | KOC 7.0 (6/5) | CBS Cobb (6/2) | Babcock (6/3) | SB Nation (6/8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Wizards | Dybantsa (BYU) | Dybantsa (BYU) | Dybantsa (BYU) | Dybantsa (BYU) | Dybantsa (BYU) |
| 2 — Jazz | Peterson (Kansas) | Peterson (Kansas) | Wilson (UNC) | Peterson (Kansas) | Peterson (Kansas) |
| 3 — Grizzlies | Boozer (Duke) | Boozer (Duke) | Peterson (Kansas) | Boozer (Duke) | Boozer (Duke) |
| 4 — Bulls | Wilson (UNC) | Wilson (UNC) | Boozer (Duke) | Wilson (UNC) | Wilson (UNC) |
| 5 — Clippers | Wagler (Illinois) | Brown Jr. (Louisville) | Wagler (Illinois) | Flemings (Houston) | Wagler (Illinois) |
Michigan is the class's biggest program winner with three projected first-rounders in all five mocks. Center Aday Mara (7-3, junior, Spain) is projected in the #8–#12 range across the board. 2 The Athletic's Sam Vecenie put Mara at #8 to Atlanta, noting he "fits Atlanta's scheme well under Quin Snyder thanks to his passing ability and his rim protection." 2 Forward Yaxel Lendeborg (6-9, senior, age 24) ranges from #11 to #16, and forward/center Morez Johnson Jr. (6-9, sophomore) has climbed to #14–#16 in every mock — the strongest upward momentum of any player this week.
O'Connor described what Johnson brings: "You know the guy on a championship team who never gets enough credit nationally? The one who sets the bone-crushing screen that springs the star, then immediately sprints to the rim for the lob, then turns around and blows up the other team's pick-and-roll on the other end all in one sequence? That's Johnson." 3 Vecenie reported that teams attending workouts — when asked which prospect left the strongest impression — have been citing Johnson's name more than any other. 2
Brayden Burries (Arizona, projected #9) appears to be maneuvering toward Dallas. O'Connor and SB Nation both reported Burries has skipped multiple expected workout appearances, and sources told them he wants to be paired with Cooper Flagg on the Mavericks. 35 Burries is represented by Klutch Sports' Rich Paul, who successfully placed Dereck Lively at Dallas (pick #12) in 2023. O'Connor wrote: "It would make perfect sense for Klutch to want Burries to be the guard paired with Cooper Flagg for many years to come." 3 Vecenie confirmed "league sources are trying to figure out why Burries has not worked out in enough places." 2
Trade activity is the sub-story everyone is watching. The Clippers (pick #5) are widely seen as the most likely team to trade down — both O'Connor and Vecenie confirmed this independently. 23 The Nets (#6) are generating the most speculation: Vecenie wrote that "the Nets have engendered by far the most speculation among sources. I've also heard a lot of contradictory information, which is an indication that there is some smoke billowing from Barclays Center." 2 The Thunder hold picks #12 and #17 and are reportedly "open to many scenarios," per Vecenie, including packaging them to move up or converting one into a future first. 2 The Bulls — who own both #4 and #15 — worked out Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, Nate Ament, and Johnson last week, a grouping that O'Connor said signals Chicago is thinking about a trade either direction. 3
One note on depth: Vecenie reported that most team executives rate only around 20–25 players as first-round caliber, and that "teams could be making deals with players ahead of time to lock them in on two-way contracts, as they don't see much difference in talent level between players ranked from, say, No. 45 to No. 100." 2 NIL has thinned the draft by keeping college talent in school, and it shows at the back end.
NCAA eligibility reform: basketball helped change the rule
On June 5, the NCAA Division I Cabinet voted to modify the "5-in-5" age-based eligibility proposal rather than approve it as written. 6 The change sounds technical but matters for players who take gap years or attend prep schools: under the original text, the eligibility clock started at high school graduation. The revised version starts the clock at first full-time college enrollment, or the academic year after a student-athlete's 19th birthday — whichever comes first. 6 The five-year participation window itself is unchanged; the modification addresses when that window opens.
The pushback came from ice hockey (63 coaches signed a joint letter opposing the original), basketball, and military academies. The NHL and NHLPA filed formal concerns with the NCAA in early June, and according to Yahoo Sports/Hockey News, NHLPA executive director Bill Daley met with NCAA president Charlie Baker before the June 5 session. 7 Basketball coaches joined that coalition.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), which represents college men's basketball coaches across all divisions, issued a statement on June 5 praising the NCAA's decision: "The college sports governance process functions most effectively when diverse perspectives are at the table. The NABC commends the NCAA on today's adjustment to its age-based eligibility concept." 8
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Wisconsin men's head coach Greg Gard, who has publicly supported the broader 5-in-5 framework, put it simply: "I think the five-for-five will be a good thing. I think tournament expansion will be good. We're all trying to find solutions to fix some things and get things under control." 9
The formal vote is scheduled for the next DI Cabinet meeting on June 23-24 — the same days as the NBA Draft. 6 Existing athletes who already exhausted their eligibility before spring 2026 get nothing; athletes with remaining eligibility can choose whichever framework is more favorable; anyone enrolling in the class of 2026 or later follows the new rules. The deadline for existing athletes to file waiver applications under the current system is July 31. 10
The parallel congressional track is moving more slowly. The Protect College Sports Act of 2026, introduced May 27 by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Chris Coons (D-DE), received a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on June 3. 11 Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban — appointed co-chair of the Presidential Commission on College Athletics — testified in support, alongside Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, West Virginia president emeritus Gordon Gee, Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould, and Utah player Lance Holtzclaw. 11 Cruz said at the hearing: "I have thought at multiple times we were never going to get there." 11
The Big Ten and SEC issued a joint statement on June 2 saying they "do not support the bill as drafted," citing concerns that it could expand litigation rather than reduce it. 11 They met with Cruz on June 4 and maintained that position. The bill requires 60 Senate votes to overcome a filibuster, a threshold that looks difficult with both major conference blocs skeptical.
The NCAA's 5-in-5 vote on June 23-24 could make parts of the congressional bill redundant — or more urgent, depending on what the Cabinet decides.
Roster and staff updates
Malachi Moreno is back at Kentucky. The 7-0, 250-pound center withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft on May 24 and will return for his sophomore season. 12 Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks as a freshman and earned SEC All-Freshman honors. NBA feedback pointed to his body and movement as areas to develop, and he cited that directly: "My body is my own, and I need to take care of it, and I've kind of got to look the part. A lot of them said, 'You have the skill, but you need to start showing a little bit more and need to move a little bit better.'" 12 Head coach Mark Pope was blunt in his framing: "Malachi Moreno was the No. 1 priority for us going into this portal season. We think he's going to be the best center in all of college basketball next season at Kentucky." 13 With Moreno back, Kentucky has 14 scholarship players — the NCAA limit — built around five returnees (Moreno, Reece Potter, Trent Noah, Kam Williams, Braydon Hawthorne), six transfers, and three newcomers. 12
Two injury updates to log for men's programs:
- Troy Henderson (Tennessee, sophomore guard) had shoulder surgery in early April 2026 and will be limited during summer workouts. He averaged 1.8 points in 6.9 minutes per game as a freshman, and a late-season shoulder injury had already cut into his role before the surgery. 14
- Jalen Haynes (Dayton transfer from Cincinnati, forward) underwent two knee surgeries in eight months — the first in late October 2025, the second in spring 2026 — and his availability for summer practice is unclear. 15 Haynes posted on Instagram after the second surgery: "Two surgeries in 8 months is something I could (not) ever imagine in my basketball career. I thank God for giving me the strength to keep going and for the ones who forgot about me, it's gonna be a scary sight." 15 He is one of six transfers the Flyers signed this offseason; the full group reported to campus May 31.
Women's basketball staff moves — six programs filled assistant coaching vacancies this week:
- Indiana: Head coach Teri Moren hired Fred Williams as assistant coach on June 5. Williams was most recently on Florida's staff; before that he served as head coach of the Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings (originally Tulsa Shock), and interim head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022. Moren said Williams "adds another veteran voice to our program, one that has experience across a variety of levels of women's basketball." 16
- Notre Dame: Head coach Niele Ivey hired Jared Newson on June 5 as director of player development and assistant coach, replacing seven-year assistant Michaela Mabrey. Newson previously served as director of basketball for Phantom BC in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league — his first collegiate coaching role. 17
- Miami (OH): Head coach Glenn Box added Rebecca Harris and Simeon Spurling as assistants on June 3. Harris comes from Laney College (JUCO), where she was associate head coach; she also played 15+ seasons professionally in the Euroleague and overseas. Spurling spent three years on Xavier's staff before this hire and was previously a video coordinator at UCLA (2018–21) and with the WNBA-champion Los Angeles Sparks in 2016. 18
- Evansville, Seattle U, and Rider each made assistant coaching additions between June 1-5. 192021
One search still open: Cal State Bakersfield remains the only Division I women's program without a permanent head coach. Ari Wideman resigned effective April 20, and Ray Alvarado is listed as interim on the 2026-27 roster. No finalists or timeline have been reported publicly. 22
Dates to watch
- June 23-24: The NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn — Dybantsa at #1, trade scenarios across five lottery picks, and Burries' destination all resolve. On the same days: the NCAA Division I Cabinet meets to vote on the 5-in-5 eligibility framework. If it passes, implementation rules take effect immediately for new enrollees.
- July 31: Deadline for current college athletes to file eligibility waiver applications under the old system. Programs with players in the 2025-26 eligibility-exhausted cohort should confirm affected rosters before this date. 10
References
- 1
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- 3Yahoo Sports: NBA Mock Draft 7.0
sports.yahoo.com
- 4Babcock Hoops: 2026 NBA Mock Draft
babcockhoops.com
- 5
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- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11Sportico: Protect College Sports Act hearing
sportico.com
- 12
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- 15
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- 17South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women's basketball hires Jared Newson
southbendtribune.com
- 18Miami University Athletics: Box Adds Two Assistant Coaches
miamiredhawks.com
- 19
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- 21
- 22CSUB Athletics: 2026-27 Women's Basketball Roster
gorunners.com
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