Alabama freshman forward Amari Allen declares for 2026 NBA Draft, will maintain eligibility

Alabama freshman forward Amari Allen has formally declared his intentions to enter the 2026 NBA Draft while still maintaining his collegiate eligibility. He announced it on Instagram late Sunday evening.

“Thank you to everyone in Tuscaloosa for making this year an unforgettable experience for me. From my teammates to our coaches and staff, everyone made me feel at home,” Allen’s IG announcement read. “After meeting with my family and Coach Oats, I’m officially declaring for the NBA Draft while still maintaining my eligibility. Playing in the NBA has always been my dream, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Roll Tide.”

Allen will spend the next month going through the NBA pre-draft process, including potentially participating in both the NBA G League Combine and NBA Draft Combine over the first few weeks of May. Allen has until midnight May 27 to withdraw and return to Alabama if he so chooses.

The 6-foot-8, 205-pound wing made the SEC All-Freshman Team this past season after averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in 2025-26. Allen’s 6.9 rebounds per game ranked sixth in the SEC and led the Crimson Tide with a team-high five double-doubles during the season.

Allen signed with Alabama as a Top-75 four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle out of Ashwaubenon (Green Bay, Wisc.), where he was ranked as the No. 2 player in the state, the No. 17 small forward in the class, and the No. 74 player overall, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted composite of all three major recruiting media services.

Allen is the second Alabama player to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft following sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr., who is projected as a potential lottery pick. Philon also tested the NBA Draft waters after his freshman season but ultimately decided to return to Tuscaloosa. It was a decision that paid off as Philon led the Tide averaging 22 points and five assists per game in 2025-26.

Allen will be facing a similar situation as Philon did a year ago, with most mock drafts currently projecting the 6-foot-8 wing as a fringe late first-round or early second-round pick.

Regardless of what Allen ultimately decides, Alabama’s front court will look a lot different in 2026-27 after the transfer additions of former NC State wing Cole Cloer, former Mississippi State power forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming, and former Kentucky power forward Brandon Garrison. The Tide already lost sophomore center Aiden Sherrell to Indiana while fellow forward Taylor Bol Bowen remains in the portal.