Vanderbilt point guard Tyler Tanner has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to school for his junior season, he told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Wednesday.
At 6-foot, 173 pounds, Tanner, 20, was projected just outside the first round, with ESPN's latest mock draft slotting him as the No. 35 pick to the San Antonio Spurs.
An All-SEC selection and an honorable mention All-American, Tanner was the catalyst for Vanderbilt's surprising season, leading the 27-9 Commodores to a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament. He scored 26 points in the opening round against McNeese and followed with a 27-point effort in a dramatic second-round loss to Nebraska.
One of the elite point guards in the country, Tanner is likely to be a preseason All-American after averaging 19.5 points and 5.1 assists per game last season. His return also is likely to vault Vanderbilt into the top 15 to begin the season.