Arkansas basketball's Billy Richmond III will stay in 2026 NBA Draft
Arkansas basketball player Billy Richmond III has decided to return to the University of Arkansas for the 2026-27 season after initially declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft. The rising junior will forgo entering the draft and remain eligible for the upcoming NCAA season, as confirmed by Arkansas sources and his agent.
Billy Richmond III will stay at Arkansas and play for the Razorbacks in the 2026-27 NCAA season, reversing his earlier decision to enter the 2026 NBA Draft. A source close to the Arkansas program confirmed to the Southwest Times Record that Richmond will return to school, ending speculation after CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein initially reported he would remain in the draft before correcting the information. Richmond declared for the draft on April 24 and participated in the NBA’s pre-draft process, including the NBA Combine and individual workouts. Despite his athleticism and defensive skills, which had him projected as a consensus second-round pick, questions about his shooting and offensive impact likely influenced his decision to stay. The rising junior’s return adds experience to Arkansas’ roster for next season, where he will have another opportunity to refine his game under head coach John Calipari. His decision follows a strong performance in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where the Razorbacks advanced to the second round before facing Hawaii in Portland. Richmond’s agent initially suggested he would enter the draft, but the player’s agent later clarified that he would return to Fayetteville. The confirmation aligns with Arkansas’ recent trend of retaining talented players to bolster future NCAA Tournament runs.
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