The NBA Draft early entry withdrawal deadline is always a pivotal date on the college basketball calendar, signaling a final wave of roster clarity for programs across the country. This year, that clarity hit like a seismic wave, altering the college hoops landscape and prompting a major reshuffling of expectations. The most dramatic of these changes? Purdue surging to the top of Andy Katz’s freshly updated #Power37 rankings.
Katz, a longtime NCAA.com analyst and trusted voice in college basketball, released his new Power 37 shortly after the NBA’s May 29 withdrawal deadline. It was a definitive moment, not just for scouts and general managers evaluating NBA hopefuls, but for college basketball fans and analysts assessing the national title picture. In the hours and days following the deadline, multiple key return decisions dramatically changed the outlook for top-tier teams. None benefited more than Matt Painter’s Boilermakers.
The reason Purdue now sits atop Katz’s list? Continuity, maturity, and a chip on their shoulder the size of West Lafayette.
After losing in the Sweet 16 to NC State during the 2024 NCAA Tournament—falling short of avenging the embarrassment of their 2023 first-round loss to 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson—the Boilermakers now return most of their core. Despite the departure of national player of the year Zach Edey, who finally moved on to the NBA after four dominant seasons, Painter’s squad has retooled in ways that make Purdue not only dangerous but potentially better suited for March success.
Chief among those returnees is junior point guard Braden Smith, who flirted with the NBA Draft process but ultimately chose to come back. His decision gives Purdue a floor general with unmatched poise, creativity, and toughness. Alongside Smith is sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer, who brings vital perimeter spacing and scoring pop. Loyer also tested the NBA waters but returns after productive conversations with pro teams about areas to improve.
The NBA Draft early entry withdrawal deadline is always a pivotal date on the college basketball calendar. It’s a moment of clarity, a final reshuffling of the deck before programs and fans alike begin to visualize what the upcoming season will look like. Players who tested the waters either hear what they need from scouts to stay in the draft, or they return to college with renewed focus and opportunity. And with that window closing, it didn’t take long for analysts to revise their outlooks on the 2025 season.
One of the most influential and widely discussed rankings to emerge in the wake of the withdrawal deadline came from longtime college basketball analyst Andy Katz, who released his updated “#Power37” rankings—a comprehensive look at the top teams in the country. And perched confidently at No. 1, to the surprise of few but the delight of many in West Lafayette, was Purdue.
The Boilermakers, who are still shaking off the heartbreak of their 2024 NCAA Tournament run, now look primed to come back with a vengeance. The return of key players, combined with an experienced and battle-tested roster, has vaulted Purdue to the top spot. Katz’s updated list reflects the seismic shifts that took place as players made their final decisions, with Purdue emerging as perhaps the biggest beneficiary.
