UConn's Braylon Mullins Announces Major Career Decision After Freshman Season

Braylon Mullins delivered one of the most iconic shots in recent NCAA Tournament history this March, helping the UConn Huskies take down the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.

While UConn went on to fall in the national championship, Mullins emerged as one of the team's top performers throughout the season - all as a true freshman.

He finished the year averaging 12.0 points per game and was projected as a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. However, that move will have to wait.

After taking a few weeks to evaluate his options, Mullins announced Saturday that he will return to UConn for his sophomore season - a major boost for head coach Dan Hurley and the program's roster outlook.

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Mullins was an intriguing NBA prospect for several reasons. He already possesses NBA-level shooting ability and quickly established himself as one of the more prolific perimeter threats in college basketball as a true freshman, averaging over three makes from beyond the arc per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 33.5% from three.

That said, there are still areas of his game, particularly his overall strength and all-around development, that could use refinement. Returning to UConn for another season gives him a strong opportunity to continue developing and potentially boost his draft stock even further next year.

According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Mullins was ranked No. 27 on his big board.

Hurley is quietly assembling one of the strongest preseason rosters heading into next season. While UConn has lost key pieces like Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. due to expired eligibility, the program has retained Mullins, Silas Demary Jr., and Jayden Ross.

Out of the transfer portal, the Huskies have landed former five-star Duke freshman Nikolas Khamenia, a 6-foot-8 forward who could effectively replace Karaban's role. They also added big man Najai Hines from Seton Hall Pirates, further strengthening the frontcourt.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 4:53 PM.