PJ Haggertys Surprise Decision: Withdrawing from 2025 NBA Draft to Transfer to Kansas State
In a surprise move, PJ Haggerty, a 6-foot-3 guard, has decided to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and transfer to Kansas State, according to reports. The 21-year-old was the nation's third-leading scorer last season for Memphis, where he averaged 21.7 points per game while shooting 36% on 107 3-point attempts. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals, earning him AAC player of the year and second-team All-America honors.
Haggerty's decision to withdraw from the draft is not surprising given that he did not play primarily at point guard at Memphis, which was a major consideration for him. Additionally, his father was seeking $4 million in NIL compensation from his next college basketball program, but apparently had to settle for much less on the open market.
Despite not being listed among the top 62 prospects on Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst Kevin O'Connor's big board, Haggerty reportedly made a good showing at the NBA Draft Combine. He hit 73% of his shots in individual drills, one of the top five shooters among the invited prospects. Additionally, he scored 18 points with seven rebounds in a scrimmage.
Early entrants for the NBA Draft have until May 28 to withdraw if they want to keep their NCAA eligibility, and it is clear that Haggerty has chosen to return to college and continue his basketball career at Kansas State. As a redshirt junior, he will be playing for his fourth program in four seasons, having redshirted as a freshman at TCU before transferring to Tulsa for one season and then joining Penny Hardaway's program at Memphis.
Memphis finished 29-8 last season and won the AAC regular-season and conference tournament titles with Haggerty leading the way. The Tigers lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Colorado State, but Haggerty still managed to score 18 points with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in that defeat. With his impressive performance at the NBA Draft Combine and his strong season at Memphis, it will be interesting to see how Haggerty performs at Kansas State and if he can continue his success in college basketball.
