Arkansas ahead staying in NBA Draft whereas others withdraw

[ad_1] After spending the 2024-25 season at Arkansas, 6-foot-6 wing Adou Thiero will probably be retaining his identify within the 2025 NBA Draft, agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports activities tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (X hyperlink).

Whereas Thiero was technically testing the waters and will have pulled out of the draft to return to highschool for an additional yr, the wording of his preliminary announcement strongly indicated that his plan was to go professional. It feels like he hasn’t obtained any suggestions throughout the pre-draft course of that dissuaded him from taking that route.

Thiero, who spent his first two school seasons at Kentucky, had a breakout yr for the Razorbacks as a junior, averaging 15.1 factors, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 27.5 minutes per sport throughout 27 contests (26 begins). He made simply 25.6% of his three-point makes an attempt (11-of-43) and shot 68.6% on free throws, however is taken into account a possible first-round choose due largely to his distinctive athleticism and vitality.

Theiro was listed because the No. 30 prospect within the newest model of ESPN’s large board for the 2025 draft.

Listed here are a number of extra of the most recent draft selections made by early entrants:

Kentucky guard Otega Oweh will probably be eradicating his identify from the draft pool and rejoining the Wildcats for his senior season, agent Wilmer Jackson tells Givony (X hyperlink). Oweh, who transferred to Kentucky after two years at Oklahoma, was the crew’s main scorer in 2024/25 with 16.2 factors per sport and made the All-SEC second crew. He was the No. 72 participant on ESPN’s large board. Oregon ahead/middle Nathan Bittle, the No. 79 prospect on ESPN’s board, intends to withdraw from the draft and return to the Geese for yet another yr, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports activities. Bittle was named to the All-Large Ten third crew and the convention’s All-Defensive crew this spring after averaging 14.2 factors, 7.6 rebounds, and a pair of.1 blocks per sport. He has been with Oregon for 4 years, however was granted a medical redshirt for the 2023/24 season after being restricted to 5 appearances attributable to well being points. Wisconsin guard John Blackwell labored out for a number of NBA groups throughout the pre-draft course of and acquired constructive suggestions, however he has determined to drag out of the draft and head again to highschool, experiences Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (X hyperlink). Blackwell grew to become a full-time starter for the Badgers as a sophomore final season and put up 15.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and a pair of.2 APG in 37 video games. Guard Camron McDowell has withdrawn from the draft, in accordance with agent Curtis Lawrence (X hyperlink through Chepkevich). McDowell poured in 27.1 factors per sport final season enjoying for Division II faculty Northwestern Oklahoma State. He’s within the switch portal and will probably be returning to a Division I crew for his senior yr, Chepkevich notes.