Johnell Davis has opted out of the 2024 NBA Draft and will play his final college season with the Arkansas Razorbacks and head coach John Calipari.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news on Wednesday.
The news isn’t entirely a shock. Davis had previously declined an invitation to the NBA’s G League Elite Camp in Chicago and did not participate in the NBA Draft Combine (also in Chicago).
Wednesday was the deadline for players to opt out of the NBA Draft.
Davis is widely considered one of the best players in college basketball and was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal before joining Arkansas in late April; On3 listed Davis as the best available transfer in their portal rankings.
Guard Johnell Davis is withdrawing from the 2024 NBA Draft to play his final season of college basketball at Arkansas, sources tell ESPN. Davis averaged 18.2 points on 41 percent three-point shooting for Florida Atlantic last season. pic.twitter.com/dXsAmQFhW6
-Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 29, 2024
A 6-foot-2 point guard, Davis averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season at Florida Atlantic. He led the Owls on a Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2023.
Davis is one of eight players who have committed to play for Arkansas in 2024-25 since Calipari became coach in early April. Other transfers to the Arkansas roster are former Kentucky players Zvonimir Ivisic, Adou Thiero and DJ Wagner, and former Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo.
Highly touted recruits Karter Knox, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond are all freshmen who flipped their commitment from Kentucky to Arkansas.
