Meleek Thomas waits as Billy Richmond returns to Arkansas

Billy Richmond withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return to Arkansas, a move reported on Wednesday after he had been expected to stay in the pool. The change came before the deadline to withdraw and keep college eligibility, leaving Meleek Thomas as the Razorbacks' most important remaining decision.

Richmond flips course Wednesday

The switch came 22 minutes after an initial report said Richmond would remain in the draft, with the later update saying he had "switched course" and was headed back to the Razorbacks. Richmond had previously entered the process while preserving his college status, so the Wednesday deadline was the final point at which he could make that choice and still suit up next season.

For Arkansas, the return gives John Calipari another piece from a Sweet 16 roster that lost to Arizona. Richmond is the most high-profile player to come back from that team, while wing Isaiah Sealy and forward Paulo Semedo had already announced their returns.

Richmond's draft profile

Richmond's draft case rested more on defense and physical tools than shooting. He made the SEC All-Defense Team this season and averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a sophomore, but he shot 25% from 3-point range this year after hitting 12% as a rookie.

At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on May 12-14, he measured 6 feet, 5.75 inches barefoot with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and weighed 195.4 pounds. He also posted an 8-foot-5 standing reach, hit 13 of 25 spot-up 3-point attempts for 52%, and scored 8 points in Scrimmage 1 and 11 points in Scrimmage 2.

Meleek Thomas remains pending

Arkansas is still waiting on guard Meleek Thomas, who has been projected as a late first-round pick. Calipari said at the Final Four, "I’m going to see if we can get Meleek [Thomas] in the first round somewhere. See about Billy [Richmond], see if we can get him in the first round somewhere. They may come back if they’re not in that first round."

The Razorbacks have also added two portal commitments so far, Furman center Cooper Bowser and Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, and they already have five freshmen committed for next season. Richmond's return locks in another proven rotation piece while Thomas' choice still shapes the rest of Arkansas' offseason picture.