Karter Knox withdraws from NBA Draft, will return to Arkansas for 2025-26 season

John Calipari has been known for having one-and-dones. However, he won’t have any from during his debut season at Arkansas with the decision announced today by Karter Knox.

Knox will be withdrawing his name from the 2025 NBA Draft after testing over the past month, per On3’s Joe Tipton. That will have him back in Fayetteville for a sophomore season with the ‘Hogs.

Knox appeared in 36 games, 24 being starts as the season went, as a freshman for the Razorbacks. He averaged 8.3 points (46.2% FG, 35% 3PT), 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. That had him sixth on the roster in all three statistics, plus field-goal percentage, while being third in three-point percentage with half a block having him fifth in that category as well.

That’s after Knox, a Tampa, Florida native, was the No. 22 overall recruit as a four-star playing at Overtime Elite as part of the 2024 cycle. He also rated as a Top-10 SF in the class and the No. 2 prospect out of Georgia behind only Ace Bailey (Rutgers). That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He then committed to Calipari, who Kevin Knox, his older brother, played for, originally at Kentucky before following him in going to Arkansas, where he joined his former Wildcat commits in Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond to make up the No. 2 recruiting class in the country.

Knox tested well while at the combine this month in Chicago. However, rather than be a draft pick this year, he’ll be back to be a key returner, while improving his draft stock more, at Arkansas.

This decision should give the Razorbacks a ranked roster going into ’25-’26. They did lose five of their top-seven contributors but do return Knox now alongside Richmond with DJ Wagner and Trevon Brazile. They’re then bringing in another top-five recruiting class, with two being five-stars in a trio of Top-100 commitments featuring Darius Acuff, Meleek Thomas, and Isaiah Sealy, as well as a pair of Top-150 transfers from the portal with Malique Ewin (Florida State) and Nick Pringle (South Carolina).

Knox is likely the last decision of those who will be returning to Arkansas. It solidifies them, depending on any more portal additions, as a top-rated team, though, for Calipari’s second season with the program.