Former five-star freshman Jordan Walsh will officially keep his name in the NBA Draft as Wednesday marked the last day he could decide to maintain his eligibility. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony first reported the news of Walsh remaining in the draft.
As a freshman at Arkansas, Walsh averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 assists per game. He started 22 of 36 games he appeared in, and shot 43.3% from the field, 27.8% from three and 71.2% from the free throw line.
Walsh had a +/- of +22 in the 10-point win over Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and he was +12 in the one-point win over 1-seed Kansas in the Round of 32. Among Arkansas' regular rotation, Walsh was a team-best +8.52/40 min on the year.
The 6-foot-7 McDonald's All-American had an up and down freshman season for the Razorbacks, as he struggled to find a consistent outside shot or confidence on the offensive end, but was known for his athleticism and hustle plays.
Walsh, a native of Desoto, Texas, drew eyes from NBA scouts because of his size, athleticism, versatility and work ethic. While there is plenty of room for improvement, the modern NBA drafts based on potential, and Walsh has that in droves.
Conversations early in the offseason with NBA scouts and sources from the team all alluded to the same reasoning for Walsh sticking in the draft. Some scouts even went as far as to say they would take him in the late first or early second round as they were willing to take a chance on him as a player, albeit a project at the onset.
The thinking is that Walsh has the work ethic to smooth out the rough edges of his game and a good enough shooting form where minor adjustments and major repetition can help make him a viable option from the perimeter at the next level.
Walsh joins teammates Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black and Ricky Council IV in staying in the NBA Draft, and his departure leaves Arkansas with one open roster spot to work with for next season.
Of the four Arkansas players that entered their name in the NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility — Walsh, Davonte Davis, Houston transfer Tramon Mark and Louisville transfer El Ellis — Walsh is the only one to keep his name in the draft.
