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Asked during his NBA Combine media interview in Chicago if he has decided yet if he would return to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, Bryant said, "Yeah, I've officially declared for the draft, yes sir." ESPN's Jeff Borzello also he's "completely in" the draft.

Players have to declare for the NBA Draft to be invited to the NBA Combine, then can withdraw later. NCAA rules allow players to take up to 10 days after the combine to withdraw if they want to return to college basketball, a deadline of May 28 this year.

Bryant has yet to make a definitive statement on whether he is leaving the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ coaches continue to wait for Bryant to inform them, since his absence would likely prompt them to add at least one other player for next season. UA has 11 other players lined up for 2025-26 but three of them — Sidi Gueye, Mabil Mawut and Bryce James — are considered developmental prospects.

Although Bryant averaged only 6.5 points while starting five of 37 games as a freshman in 2024-25, he has intrigued NBA scouts by having the skillset and size of a prototypical standout NBA wing. He measured 6-6.5 without shoes, with a 6-11.75 wingspan and recorded a maximum (running) vertical leap of 39.5 inches at the combine.

Bryant was listed as the No. 20 pick in ESPN's mock NBA Draft immediately after the 2024-25 college season ended last month, but is now projected at No. 14 by ESPN — and No. 10 by both The Ringer and The Athletic.

A player picked at No. 10 would receive a guaranteed two-year contract worth about $12 million under the NBA's rookie salary scale.

Bryant is participating in the mandatory drills, interviews and measurements at this week's NBA Combine, but is not playing in the five-on-five scrimmages, something nearly all first-round picks skip. 

During a portion of his combine interview that was recorded and distributed by ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, Bryant said Wednesday he has already met with Dallas, Golden State, Brooklyn, Portland and Minnesota, saying his interviews with teams have varied considerably.

“It's been a lot of everything,� Bryant said. “I've had teams where I've had to draw on a board and they wanted me to draw up a play or two. I've had teams where they've asked me questions in the more serious manner. I've had more of a casual conversation with some teams and I’ve had teams where I pretty much watched straight film, and they wanted me to kind of see my thought process going through plays.�

Bryant said he was trying to be himself while also taking “mental notes� on the teams and people he meets, especially since executives can move around the league just as players do.

“It's such a unique experience," Bryant said. "Not many people get the opportunity to even be here. I'm trying to take advantage of the moment. Being able to go in the room, answer questions, be able to be yourself, be authentic, is a great experience.�

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ to face San Diego State in Phoenix

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and San Diego State are finalizing an agreement to play in Phoenix on Dec. 20, according to College Hoops Today.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ officials have not confirmed the SDSU game, but have confirmed that a game in Phoenix would be on next season's schedule. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ has played Alabama and UCLA in Phoenix the past two seasons, while UA coach Tommy Lloyd has pledged to keep playing there regularly.

A UA-SDSU game would give the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ a sixth high-level nonconference opponent in addition to Florida, UCLA, UConn, Auburn and Alabama.

Those six games will help ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ offset the fact that it won't be competing in a top multi-team event next season and that it will lose two potentially competitive Big 12 games from the conference's move from 20 to 18 games next season.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and SDSU used to hold occasional two-year, home-and-home series during the Lute Olson and Sean Miller eras but have only met once in the past 11 seasons, and only by chance: The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ beat the Aztecs 87-70 in the semifinals of the 2022 Maui Invitational.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ leads the all-time series with SDSU 25-7.