Arkansas wing Billy Richmond is headed back to Fayetteville after deciding to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to the Razorbacks, according to a Wednesday report. The move comes after Jon Rothstein first said Richmond would stay in the draft, then, 22 minutes later, reported that he had switched course and was going back to Arkansas.
Richmond’s return gives the Razorbacks another proven piece from last season’s Sweet 16 team that lost to Arizona. He was Arkansas’ most high-profile player testing the draft while preserving college eligibility, and the deadline to withdraw passed Wednesday. The NBA Draft is set for June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The sophomore wing gave Arkansas 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while earning a spot on the SEC All-Defense Team. His shooting numbers were uneven — he made 25% of his 3-pointers this season after hitting 12% as a rookie — but he also showed flashes that drew attention from NBA evaluators. He tested well at the draft combine in Chicago from May 12-14, measuring 6 feet, 5.75 inches barefoot with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, 195.4 pounds and an 8-foot-5 standing reach. He also made 13 of 25 spot-up 3-point shots in shooting workouts.
Richmond’s combine scrimmage results were mixed. He scored 8 points in the first scrimmage on 3-of-9 shooting with one 3-pointer, two assists, one steal, one block, three turnovers and four fouls in 20 minutes and 42 seconds. In the second game, he had 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, missed all three of his 3-point tries, and added three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one foul in 19 minutes and 15 seconds.
His decision matters because Arkansas is still waiting on guard Meleek Thomas, a projected late first-round pick, and the Razorbacks are trying to map out next season’s roster. Coach John Calipari has said he wants to see whether Thomas and Richmond can crack the first round, adding that they could return if they are not in that group. Richmond is now back in the fold, joining previously announced returnees Isaiah Sealy and Paulo Semedo.
Arkansas has also landed two portal commitments so far, from Furman center Cooper Bowser and Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, and it already has five freshmen committed for next season. With Richmond returning and Thomas still undecided, the roster picture is clearer than it was a day ago — but not finished. The final major question now is whether Arkansas can keep its top-end NBA talent together long enough to turn last season’s run into another one.
