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Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.
have joined a very select club.
The first-round 2026 NBA draft picks will be among a limited number of UConn alumni in the league, That total could be as high as 10 in the upcoming season, but that wont be determined until closer to the start of the 2026-27 campaign in October when rosters are set.
That possible number shrunk from 11 with the announcement on Friday that Tyrese Martin, a second-round draft pick in the Class of 2022, is heading to FC Barcelona of the Euro League.
The club said he is signed through June 30, 2027.
Another move in Barcelona, @resemartin4 joins the @FCBbasket roster! pic.twitter.com/tU62FKouUT EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) July 24, 2026 The Tyrese Martin file Martin, 27, is a Pennsylvania native who played his first two seasons at Rhode Island (2018-20), where he undoubtedly got to know head coach Dan Hurley before UConn lured him away from the Rams in 2018.
Martin joined Hurley in Storrs, Conn., for the final two seasons of his college career, playing in 51 games (50 starts) and averaging 12.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
"The opportunity that UConn had for me was an opportunity no other school that offered me during that process could've had on the table for me" Tyrese Martin talks about his transfer from Rhode Island pic.twitter.com/1n5kYUqL9L SNY UConn Womens Basketball (@SNYUConn) October 9, 2020 The 6-foot-6 guard was selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft and played in 122 total games with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
He averaged 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
He also appeared in 59 games (54 starts) in the G League and posted averages of 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.9 assist per game in that league.
Who are the other 8? The eight other former UConn players who saw time on an NBA court in the 2025-26 season were, according to BasketballReference.com : Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Andre Drummond, Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson Jr., Liam McNeeley, Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer.
What is the contract status for each player? Contract information listed below comes from Spotrac.
Castle will return to the San Antonio Spurs after the team exercised its $10.02 million option for 2026-27.
The Portland Trail Blazers are retaining Clingan on their $7.52 million team option.
Drummond, who has been in the NBA since 2012, signed a one-year, $3.88 million deal with the NBA champion New York Knicks on July 6.
He has career earnings of $155 million, according to Spotrac.
Hawkins will play with the New Orleans Pelicans on a $7.02 million team option.
Jackson is an unrestricted free agent after the Milwaukee Bucks declined their $2.4 million team option and declined to make a qualifying offer.
McNeeley signed a four-year, $14.19 million rookie-scale contract with the Charlotte Hornets after the 2015 NBA Draft, though he has spent time in the G League.
After the upcoming season, the Hornets will have two option years.
Tristen Newton signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Houston Rockets on Jan.
3, 2026.
How much will Karaban and Reed earn? Karaban signed a four-year, $15.14 million rookie-scale contract with the Sacramento Kings on July 1.
Two days later, Reed inked a four-year, $15.79 million-rookie scale deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
keep stacking days, King Karaban pic.twitter.com/IB5XKpLkdh Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) July 24, 2026 Why is Reed earning more than Karaban? That's because Reed was selected with the 26th pick of the draft and Karaban the 29th.
NBA contracts are slotted by pick number, with the top draft choice earning the most and the contract value lessening from one selection to the next on the rookie pay scale.
As the No.1 selection in the draft, AJ Dybantsa will play under a four-year, $66.94 million contract signed with the Washington Wizards.
First-round picks receive the first two seasons of their contracts fully paid.
The final two seasons are club options.
They are not guaranteed a season-long stay with the club.
Even first-rounders, like McNeeley was in 2025, can spend time in the G League.
Player of the game: Tarris Reed Jr.
14 pts/10 rebs/2 assts/1 stl Scored the first 8 points of the game.
It's not easy to standout in a stagnant and selfish offense but he did.
We got a baller in TRJ! pic.twitter.com/2ka1KqR8wX Spurs & Hoops (@spursandhoops) July 9, 2026 Join the Conversation Remember to join our UCONN on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Huskies fans.
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