Arkansas basketball’s Billy Richmond III changes course, will withdraw from NBA Draft

FAYETTEVILLE — Billy Richmond III has changed his mind. He will return to Arkansas basketball for the 2026-27 season.

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein originally reported Richmond was keeping his name in the NBA draft, but Rothstein backtracked a few minutes later and shared that Richmond’s agent said the rising junior was coming back to school.

A source with Arkansas confirmed to the Southwest Times Record that Richmond will play for the Razorbacks next year and will not stay in the NBA Draft.

Richmond declared for the draft on April 24 and went through the pre-draft process that included the NBA Combine and individual workouts.

Richmond was a consensus second-round draft pick in most projections. His athleticism and defensive instincts make Richmond an intriguing prospect, but there are questions surrounding his shooting and long-term impact on the offensive end.

The Memphis native blossomed in his second season under John Calipari. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 steals, and helped Arkansas reach the Sweet 16 for a second consecutive season. He was voted to the 2026 SEC All-Defensive Team by the league’s coaches and was one of three Razorbacks to play in all 37 games.

Richmond’s offense reached another level when he was inserted into the starting lineup in mid-February. He replaced the injured Karter Knox, who is transferring to Louisville for the upcoming season. He had 21 games scoring double figures as a sophomore after only totaling six in his freshman season.

In SEC games, Richmond ranked second in the league with a shooting percentage of 57.4%.

With Richmond back, Arkansas will have great depth at the wing position. Incoming five-star prospects JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure should handle significant minutes. The Hogs are still awaiting a decision from Meleek Thomas.

The jewel of the recruiting class, Jordan Smith Jr., is expected to be the point guard, with Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson providing a scoring punch as the off-ball guard.

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.