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FAYETTEVILLE -- Two days before the Wednesday deadline for NCAA players to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain their eligibility, rising sophomore Karter Knox announced Monday night that he is returning to the University of Arkansas men's basketball team. He confirmed earlier reports with a social media post of his own.
It's an important retainment for Coach John Calipari's roster as the Razorbacks have likely lost each of their top three scorers from last season.
Johnell Davis ran out of eligibility and Boogie Fland transferred to defending national champion Florida. Arkansas' leading scorer, Adou Thiero, was projected on May 19 by ESPN as the 34th overall pick in this year's draft to the Charlotte Hornets, but a return to college is not completely off the table.
Knox started 24 and appeared in all of the Razorbacks' 36 games last season as a freshman. He scored 8.3 points per game, good for sixth on the team, while playing the third-most minutes. He also averaged 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists to 1.1 turnovers while shooting 46.2% from the field and 80.2% at the free-throw line. In the second half of the season, Knox shot 20 for 46 (43%) from three-point range through 18 games.
Knox will join fellow key returnees in guard D.J. Wagner, forward Trevon Brazile and forward Billy Richmond III. Wagner, a sophomore last season, played the most minutes on the team and started all 36 games. Brazile played the fifth-most minutes and Richmond the eighth-most.
They'll merge with the Razorbacks' incoming recruiting class, ranked fifth by 247Sports when including freshmen and transfers. The freshman class includes 5-star guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas, Isaiah Sealy of Springdale and international signee Karim Rtail. Transfer forwards Malique Ewin of Florida State and Nick Pringle of South Carolina round out the class.
Knox declared he would go through the NBA Draft process while retaining his college eligibility on April 17. Fland withdrew from the NBA Combine, which was held in Chicago, on May 13.
Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress also reported May 13 that Knox recorded a 39 1/2-inch max vertical, which is tied for the fourth-best at the combine. He shot 16 for 25 in the three-point star drill and 25 for 30 from the side. He went 9 for 10 at the free-throw line. Knox did not crack any of the 59 picks in ESPN's latest mock draft.
Thiero has until Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. Central to decide if he wants to return to the Razorbacks. But for now, Calipari and the Razorbacks retained a pivotal wing.
Matt Byrne is the Bob Holt Razorback Reporter, named in honor of the longtime reporter who covered University of Arkansas sports. This position is funded by the ADG Community Journalism Project.