4 Hogs invited to NBA Draft Combine

Arkansas guard Anthony Black reacts, Friday, March 10, 2023 during the second half of the 2023 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinal at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Four Arkansas basketball players have been invited to the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, the league announced Tuesday.

Razorbacks guards Anthony Black, Nick Smith, Ricky Council, and wing Jordan Walsh are among the 78 players expected to attend. The combine is set for May 15-21 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Arkansas has now had 10 players invited to the combine since 2015. The quartet joins Jaylin Williams, Moses Moody, Isaiah Joe, Mason Jones, Jaylen Barford and Daniel Gafford.

Walsh, a freshman in 2022-23, and Arkansas guard Davonte Davis declared for the upcoming NBA Draft this spring while maintaining their college eligibility. Davis also did not receive an invite to the NBA G League Elite Camp, which is May 13-14 in Chicago.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie on May 2 placed Black, Smith, Council and Walsh at Nos. 8, 19, 53 and 54, respectively, on his top 100 big board. 

NBA Draft Room in its latest mock draft projected Black, Smith, Walsh and Council as the 9th, 24th, 37th and 39th picks, respectively.

Other SEC players who received a combine invite are Kobe Brown (Missouri), Noah Clowney (Alabama), GG Jackson (South Carolina), Chris Livingston (Kentucky), Brandon Miller (Alabama), Julian Phillips (Tennessee), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) and Cason Wallace (Kentucky).

This year’s draft will be held June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Razorbacks have had one player selected in four consecutive drafts, including three second-round picks.