Izan Almansa, a 2025 NBA Draft prospect, quietly served a one-month suspension earlier this spring after testing positive for a banned substance during his stint in Australia’s National Basketball League.
According to a formal release from Sport Integrity Australia, Almansa returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for a metabolite of THC following an in-competition test on December 1, 2024.
The substance, 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid, is classified under Class S8 (Cannabinoids) of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2024 Prohibited List and is banned during competition.
Under anti-doping rules, a potential three-month ban may be reduced to one month if the athlete proves the substance use occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to performance enhancement.
Almansa met the conditions for leniency, including completion of a substance abuse treatment program approved by Sport Integrity Australia.
Basketball Australia imposed the reduced sanction, barring Almansa from participating in any WADA-compliant sports from April 7 to May 6.
During that time, he was also prohibited from competing in non-signatory professional leagues or unsanctioned events at the national or international level.
Almansa, 20, averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds across 33 games with the Perth Wildcats during the 2024–25 NBL season. He joined the team through the league’s Next Stars program.
Despite declaring for the upcoming NBA Draft, Almansa is not expected to be selected. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report does not project him in either round.
The Spanish forward was once a high-profile international recruit, having previously starred in youth tournaments and earned MVP honors at the FIBA U17 World Cup in 2022.
His draft stock declined over the past two seasons due to inconsistent production and limited offensive versatility at the professional level.
Although the suspension did not directly impact his draft eligibility, it could weigh on how teams view his profile during pre-draft evaluations.
