Image – Ethan Doan
In the last few weeks, I have not written an update on the Arkansas men’s basketball off-season. Now, that has changed.
Over the last couple of weeks, four Razorbacks participated in the NBA combine, Miika Muurinen signed his national letter of intent, Kenny Payne bolstered his front court with a commitment, and the NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline has passed, meaning Meleek Thomas and Billy Richmond III have made decisions on their futures.
Here is everything you need to know about everything going on during the last few weeks in Arkansas men’s basketball:
Billy Richmond III returns to Fayetteville for junior year
Image – Ethan Doan
On Wednesday, May 27, the NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline came and went with two Razorbacks making their decisions on whether they want to stay in the draft or come back to Fayetteville for another season.
Arkansas wing Billy Richmond III will return to Fayetteville for his junior season, as confirmed by a university source. CBS College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein originally reported that Richmond was going to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft. However, Rothstein later reported that “Richmond has just switched course and will return to Arkansas next season, per his agent Bill Duffy of WME.”
Richmond scored 11.2 points, added 4.3 rebounds, and two assists per game while shooting 56.3% from the field. He scored in double-digits four of the last five games of the season.
The Memphis native waited until the final day for prospects to withdraw from the NBA Draft for his decision to be made public.
Richmond’s decision to return is huge for Arkansas’ chances to contend for an SEC Championship and compete in another NCAA Tournament next spring.
Meleek Thomas stays in 2026 NBA Draft
Image – Ethan Doan
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas is staying in the 2026 NBA Draft and he will not return for his sophomore season.
Thomas was huge for the Razorbacks he averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 points, and 2.5 assists per game during his freshman season.
The Overtime Elite Alum scored 17 points or more in each of Arkansas’ three NCAA Tournament games and was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Week the last week of the regular season after averaging 21.5 points in games against Texas and Missouri.
In the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss, he dropped 29 and was 4-7 from three point range. His awesome performances led him to be named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.
The Pittsburgh native has been mocked at the end of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. He performed in the NBA Combine before making his decision to stay in the draft and measured at 6-foot-2 inches, 185.8 pounds, had a wingspan of 6-foot-7 inches and a standing reach of 8-foot-2.5 inches. He didn’t play in any of the combine scrimmages.
Miika Muurinen officially signs with Arkansas
Image – Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball on Instagram
Five-star forward Miika Muurinen has officially signed his national letter of intent, it was confirmed by the official Arkansas Razorbacks athletics website.
Muurinen, a Järvenpää, Finland native, was rated a five-star prospect by ESPN and 247 Sports. The Rivals/On3 Industry ranks him a four-star, the No. 15 prospect in the country and No. 2 power forward in the 2026 class.
On the Finland National Team, Muurinen was named as the first ever FIBA EuroBasket Rising Star award winner after helping Finland to a historic fourth place finish at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Championship. He averaged 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in eight games. He played 12 minutes with nine points as Finland upset a Nikola Jokic-led Serbia team 92-86 in the Round of 16. In the third place game, he played 10 minutes and scored five points as his team lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece.
During the 2025-2026 season, Muurinen played with Partizan KK, a club competing in the EuroLeague and the ABA League (Adriatic League). His first ABA League game was a win against Krka on Oct. 6, where he recorded seven points, two rebounds, two assists and one block in 17 minutes. In one of his final games with Partizan KK (Dec. 28, 2025), scored a season-best 10 points vs KK Split.
Overall, he played minutes in 14 games for with Partizan KK 8 in ABA and 6 in EuroLeague games. He scored 33 points with 23 rebounds in ABA games and scored 1 point in EuroLeague games. He left Partizan in late-February 2026 to pursue playing collegiately in the NCAA.
As a sophomore in 2023-2024, Muurinen moved to the United States and played at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. he played for Arizona Compass Prep for his junior season in 2024-2025. Before leaving the United States to play for Partizan KK, he played for Bradley Beal U16 Elite and won the Nike EYBL Peach Jam tournament, scoring 21 points in the final. He was joined by fellow freshman Razorback teammate JJ Andrews on the Bradley Beal Elite roster.
Muurinen originally committed to Arkansas back on Monday, April 27.
Maper Maker makes visit to Fayetteville; commits to Arkansas
Image – Maper Maker on Instagram
Arkansas hosted center Maper Maker on a campus visit the weekend of May 8-10. Maker played for Bella Vista Prep in California and was a four-star recruit in the class of 2025.
Coming out of high school, he held offers from Arizona State and Oregon. He played last season for AUNZ Prep in Australia.
Earlier this year, the team played in a three-day showcase in Mesa, Arizona, and Maker scored 35 points in a win over Arizona Compass.
On Sunday, May 24, Maker committed to play for Arkansas in an Instagram post.
Four Razorbacks perform at NBA Combine
Image – Whole Hog Sports
Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and forward Trevon Brazile joined Richmond III and Thomas at the 2026 NBA Combine a few weeks ago.
At the combine, Acuff Jr. measured in at 6-foot-2 barefoot and weighs 185.8 pounds. He has a wingspan of 6-foot-7 and a standing reach of 8-foot-2.5. Brazile measured in at 6-foot-9.5 and weighs 225.6 pounds. He has a wingspan of 7-foot-3.5 and a standing reach of 9-foot-1.
Acuff Jr. is a projected top ten pick in the NBA Draft. Brazile is supposed to be selected somewhere in the second round.
For more news, analysis, and coverage, visit https://carterbhuffsports.com, follow @cbhsports_ on X and Instagram, and subscribe to cbhsports on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@cbhsports_.
