Tyler Tanner
Tyler Tanner
Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner has taken one step toward the NBA ranks, but has not cut ties with the Commodores.
The Brentwood native, a first-team All-SEC performer this season, has declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, according to the On3 website.
Tanner needed to declare for the draft by 10:59 CT on Friday, but he can still choose to return to Vandy by the NCAA deadline of June 13.
Players declaring for the draft are even allowed to hire an agent, as long as the agent is certified by the NCAA.
The benefit of putting his name in the draft is that Tanner can participate in the NBA Draft Combine from May 10-17, and he can also seek advice from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee, which gives players an idea of where they might be chosen in the draft, based on feedback from teams.
It’s hard to imagine the 6-0, 175-pound Tanner has much more to prove on the college level from an individual standpoint, after averaging 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals during the 2025-26 season.
He shot 49 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point distance and 85 percent from the free-throw line, earning honorable mention All-America honors.
Still, there seem to have been some subtle indications in recent weeks that Tanner might be returning for a third season of playing in front of friends and family at Vanderbilt.
A March social media post by CAA, the agency representing Tanner, featured the words “NIL representation,” listed just under CAA’s “Welcome to the Family” message.
In addition, just over a week ago, Tanner appeared in a school-sponsored video clip for Giving Day, promoting donations to Vandy’s student athletes.
Speaking of income, Tanner will no doubt be weighing the amount of NIL (name, image, likeness) money he could make next season at Vanderbilt versus how much he could earn in the NBA.
The latter figure would depend in large part on where Tanner was drafted in the two-round process.
ESPN recently ranked Tanner the 33rd– best draft prospect eligible, while Yahoo Sports forecasted him to be taken 33rd — in the early portion of the second round — in a mock draft.
There’s a noticeable monetary difference between first- and second-round selections in the NBA Draft.
Another factor that could impact Tanner’s decision is what kind of team Vanderbilt will have in the 2026-27 season.
The Commodores lost at least four significant players from the 2025-26 season due to exhausted eligibility, a group that includes forward Tyler Nickel, guard Duke Miles, forward Devin McGlockton and forward Jalen Washington.
Also, forward AK Okereke will need to obtain an NCAA waiver to return for one more season.
But Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington has been active in the portal over the last couple of weeks, adding five players: former Missouri guard T.O. Barrett, former Washington State guard Ace Glass III, former Auburn forward Sebastian Williams-Adams, former Nebraska forward Berke Buyuktuncel and former Colorado forward Bangot Dak.
The only definite returnees — at this point — are guard Chandler Bing (3.6 points, 1.6 rebounds this season) and center Jayden Leverett (1.0 points, 1.2 rebounds). The Commodores are expected to add three incoming freshmen in point guard Baylor Allen, guard Ethan Mgbako and center Jackson Sheffield.
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