Kurucs entered his name into the 2017 NBA draft, being one of a record-high 182 underclassmen to do so that year. Despite being consistently considered a first round draft pick throughout most mock drafts, Kurucs ultimately withdrew his name from the draft, on 12 June 2017; the deadline date that international players had decide to whether or not to withdraw their names from the draft. Kurucs entered his name for the 2018 NBA draft on 21 April 2018 as one of 236 underclassed prospects willing to enter the draft.