Is Tristen Newton withdrawing from the 2023 NBA Draft? Exploring Newton's potential return to the Huskies, defending champs

UConn guard Tristen Newton was an interesting prospect for the 2023 NBA draft, but things have changed in the last few days. Newton has decided to withdraw from the draft and return to defending national champions the UConn Huskies next season.

There are a lot of potential reasons why he decided to make this move and we will discuss them. However, one thing is for certain: the UConn Huskies are definitely not a team that is going to lay down quietly next season.

Why would Tristen Newton return to college basketball for another season instead of heading to the NBA and beginning his professional career? There may be more strategy involved than people originally think.

Why is Tristen Newton returning to UConn?

The 2023 NBA draft class is full of talent throughout its 60 selections to the point where things can get a little hairy for some players with eligibility.

If a player does not sign with an agent and maintains their eligibility, they can return to their college basketball program. Many mock drafts in the industry did not have Tristen Newton as a selection in either of the two rounds.

Instead of going undrafted and losing a large amount of money on a potential rookie contract, Tristen Newton will re-declare for the 2024 NBA draft. This is a weaker class with the headliner being Bronny James. The UConn Huskies were able to do extremely well last season as they rallied to win the 2023 NCAA Championship and continue the dynasty for the program.

Newton had a solid first season with the UConn Huskies as he played three seasons with the East Carolina Pirates the three seasons prior. During the 2022-23 season, he had a great year as he averaged 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 28.8 minutes per game.

The 22-year-old had a great championship game against San Diego State as he finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals.

Another solid season would be extremely beneficial for his potential NBA career. The UConn Huskies are one of the best college teams for the upcoming season and Newton should be able to dominate throughout the year.

His one weakness is his shooting percentages as he shot 37.4 percent from the floor, 36.6 percent from three, and 81.5 percent from the charity stripe last season.

Newton will be a great player for the Huskies, but he will also be an interesting prospect for the 2024 NBA draft. This move will really make him a bigger prospect next season.