Vanderbilt basketball sophomore guard Tyler Tanner has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft but will maintain his college eligibility, per a report by On3.
Declaring for the draft does not necessarily mean Tanner’s college career is over. He’ll get to participate at the draft combine in Chicago from May 10-17 and showcase himself in front of NBA scouts. After the combine is over, he’ll have 10 days to decide whether to remain in the draft, forgoing his remaining eligibility, or return to school.
Tanner averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 33.5 minutes per game as a sophomore and shot 48.5% from the field, 36.8% from 3-point range and 85.3% from the free-throw line. He started all 36 games for the Commodores as they went 27-9, their best record in 33 years, and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tanner was named first-team All-SEC and also to the conference All-Defensive Team. He scored 26 and 27 points in Vanderbilt’s two March Madness games and barely missed a buzzer-beater from half-court against Nebraska which would have sent the Commodores to the Sweet 16.
Tanner is viewed as a late first round or early second round pick by most analysts. While his small stature at 6-foot, 175 pounds hurts his draft stock, his skill, athleticism and production at Vanderbilt could outweigh those concerns for some teams in need of a point guard.
ESPN published a mock draft on March 11 with Tanner being selected with the No. 32 overall pick in the second round by the New York Knicks. USA Today’s Bryan Kalbrowsky had Tanner going in the first round, No. 28 overall, to the Minnesota Timberwolves in his March 13 mock draft.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
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