The 10 NCAA Basketball Programs With the Most to Lose in the NBA Draft

Now that the NCAA Tournament is over, players are rapidly declaring for the NBA Draft.

But most say they are just testing the waters and do not plan on hiring an agent, saving their eligibility if they do intend to return to school instead of entering the draft.

This process toys with the dedicated fans of those players' teams.

Schools can go from potential national title contender to not even a top-25 squad depending on what players enter the ranks of professional basketball.

So this list will detail the 10 teams that have the most riding on their players that realistically may return next season.

10. Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets are on the verge of being back on the map, but it all depends on the decisions of two very talented underclassmen.

There's talk that guard Iman Shumpert and forward Gani Lawal might head to the NBA.

If they do, the splendid recruiting class that coach Paul Hewitt put together won't have the experience to mentor it.

Shumpert and Lawal would be one of the best duos in the ACC next season and could lead the Yellow Jackets back to the NCAA tournament.

They will have a lot of help with one five-star recruit and two four-star recruits heading to Tech.

That five-star recruit, Derrick Favors, is arguably the best recruit in the country and will anchor the center of the court.

A big three of Favors, Shumpert, and Lawal should be enough for G-Tech to make some noise in the ACC.

9. Davidson

Stephen Curry's return is a must if Davidson wants to stay in the college basketball limelight. The Wildcats are already losing seniors Andrew Lovedale and Max Paulhus-Gosselin.

Curry would probably help Davidson return to the top of the Southern Conference after losing in the tournament's semifinals this year.

Without the All-American, Davidson would become an average Southern Conference team and would lose its status as an elite mid-major program.

Coach Bob McKillop needs Curry to stick around in order to help recruiting to maintain the level of success the school is seeing now after the Curry era is over.

8. Michigan

The Wolverines' basketball program is in the midst of rebuilding.

A critical part of that process is ensuring the team's two most important players return for at least one more season in Ann Arbor.

Slashing guard Manny Harris says he's probably returning for his junior season instead of heading to the NBA, where he could sneak into the lottery.

The same goes for big man DeShawn Sims, who has quickly become one of the Big Ten's best forwards.

Assuming those two make good on their words to return, Michigan could become one of the Big Ten's best teams, as the Wolverines would feature the league's best inside-outside combination.

7. Duke

The Blue Devils likely only have one player that realistically might leave for the NBA, but that one forward could be the difference between Mike Krzyzewski's team being one of the country's elite squads and a top-15 team.

Gerald Henderson heard chants asking for one more year from the Cameron Crazies in what could have been the last home game of his career.

Henderson emerged in the second half of the season as one of the most explosive wings in the entire country. His performance down the stretch was vital to Duke's ACC championship.

The Dukies have a great recruiting class and should return the majority of their roster. Henderson would be the final piece that would elevate this team back to the Final Four.

6. Southern California

The NBA Draft stands between Southern California returning eight of its top 10 players or returning just five. Those three players USC would lose are the Trojans' three best players.

Taj Gibson is one of the best defensive centers in the Pac-10, if not the entire country. He'll enter the NBA Draft but will not sign with an agent.

Freshman sensation DeMar DeRozan also plans to enter the draft, but he hasn't signed with an agent yet. DeRozan is capitalizing on the success he saw in the NCAA tournament.

The Trojans will lose one player no matter what; point guard Daniel Hackett has already declared for the draft and says he plans on signing an agent.

Hackett is an important player for the Trojans, but of the three players that could leave from USC, he's the least valuable of the three.

Southern Cal doesn't have a banner recruiting class in, but the Trojans can build off their late surge that resulted in an NCAA tournament berth and a first-round victory over Boston College.

5. Wake Forest

Wake Forest has a "big three."

But that "big three" may quickly turn into the "big one" if James Johnson and Jeff Teague don't drop out of the NBA Draft.

A Wyoming newspaper reported Johnson is declaring for the draft and will likely hire an agent.

That means good-bye Johnson.

But Teague is reportedly leaning towards returning to school, and if he does, coach Dino Gaudio will still have enough pieces to make the Demon Deacons into a title contender.

Teague will likely be a strong candidate for ACC Player of the Year in 2010 and may have to fight off current freshman teammate Al-Farouq Aminu for the honors.

Aminu said he's returning to school for at least one more year. When he leaves eventually, he'll be a lock as an NBA lottery pick.

Gaudio returns the majority of the rest of his rotation, including an outstanding seven-foot center in Chas McFarland and two more five-star recruits that entered with Aminu, Ty Walker and Tony Woods.

4. Kentucky

John Calipari has certainly shaken up the college basketball world with his move from mid-major powerhouse Memphis to one of the country's most storied programs, Kentucky.

Calipari will bring with him one of the country's most prized recruits, DeMarcus Cousins, who has de-committed from Memphis to follow Calipari to Kentucky.

With Coach Cal's tremendous coaching ability, he could probably work wonders with Big Blue's two superstars, Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks.

Patterson said he's returning to school, but Calipari has encouraged both Patterson and Meeks to declare for the draft to see where they stand.

Meeks did declare for the draft but has not hired an agent.

If the two return, Kentucky could make a significant turnaround, going from an NIT afterthought to potentially a top five team in 2010.

3. North Carolina

UNC just won the National Championship and could be in position to compete for another one if Roy Williams only loses graduating seniors Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, and Bobby Frasor.

But three more critical pieces may bolt for the NBA Draft, which could leave UNC a little shorthanded.

Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington tested the waters of the draft last year, but returned to improve their stock and win a championship.

Both accomplished those goals, which means the two are probably headed to the draft. Lawson is a surer bet to leave than Ellington right now.

Without the two of them, North Carolina would put out a very inexperienced backcourt next season.

Freshman Ed Davis already said he's coming back next season, but there's still a chance he could leave considering players have a history of changing their minds when it comes to entering the NBA Draft.

Davis likely staying will provide Coach Williams with his best scoring threat.

If Lawson, Ellington, and Davis all return, they would accompany a young roster.

Roy Williams has a banner class of recruits coming in that features two absolute studs, John Henson and Dexter Strickland.

The combination of Lawson and Ellington's experience and a bevy of trees in the post would make UNC an instant contender for a second national title in as many years.

2. Syracuse

The 'Cuse could return essentially its entire roster as well as add budding superstar Wes Johnson, a transfer from Iowa State.

But with the late addition of recruit DaShonte Riley, the Orange is over the limit on scholarships for next season. That means somebody has to go.

Jonny Flynn has already expressed his interest in testing the waters, while a report recently came out that Eric Devendorf also plans on declaring for the draft.

There are reports that Paul Harris will also be headed to the Draft. Harris and Devendorf's plans shouldn't seem too surprising, considering both have children (Harris, in fact, has two), and Devendorf will graduate academically.

For Devendorf, why stick around another year when he could try his hand in the NBA, or just head to Europe to make a solid living and support his child?

Flynn allegedly said he wouldn't stay in the NBA Draft unless NBA advisers assured him he's a top-10 pick. Right now, Flynn doesn't project to be drafted in the first 10 picks, so the sophomore point guard would be back next season.

Flynn is the most important piece of the three players that could leave, as the Orange needs a floor general to operate what will still be a potent team.

If all three players return, which is extremely unlikely, then Syracuse would challenge for the top spot in the preseason.

If only Flynn returns, the 'Cuse would still likely rank in the top 10.

1. Kansas

The Jayhawks finished the 2008-2009 season as one the most pleasant surprises in college basketball.

Bill Self took a team filled with underclassmen and turned them into a top-10 team.

Not a single member of that team will graduate, but the stars that made KU so good, center Cole Aldrich and point guard Sherron Collins, are debating entering the 2009 NBA Draft.

Aldrich certainly has more upside, especially after recording a triple-double in the NCAA tournament against Dayton.

He could easily go in the lottery, but if he stays one more year and polishes his post game, Aldrich could end up a top-three pick in the 2010 draft.

Collins' stock rose quite a bit throughout the season. Originally the junior point guard was looked at as a marginal second round pick. Now projections have him going as early as the end of the first round. Again, one more year could solidify his spot in the first round.

If Collins and Aldrich return to a maturing Jayhawks team, Kansas could, and probably would, be the preseason No. 1 team in the country.

Without them, Kansas could still maintain elite status if Self pulls off another tremendous coaching job. He will still have a stable of great young players and potentially one of the best recruits in the country coming in if Xavier Henry does abandon Memphis to head for Kansas.