Report: Williams invited to NBA Draft Combine
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Jaylin Williams has been invited to participate in the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, according to basketball insider Adam Zagoria.
The invitation is not surprising considering the Arkansas big man emerged as a fringe first-round prospect late in the season and is now testing the waters.
It will be the fifth straight year the Razorbacks have had a player invited to the combine, which is scheduled for May 16-22 in Chicago.
Moses Moody went to the event in 2021, Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones went in 2020, Daniel Gafford went in 2019 and Jaylen Barford went in 2018. Of that group, only Moody went in the first round, while Joe and Gafford were second-round picks and Jones and Barford went undrafted.
Having already declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, Williams is getting feedback from professional scouts before making a final decision. He has until June 1 to withdraw and return to school.
The Fort Smith Northside product has helped the Razorbacks reach the Elite Eight in both of his seasons in Fayetteville. After coming on strong down the stretch as a freshman, Williams was an All-SEC performer as a sophomore.
Williams averaged 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks this year, plus notched 16 double-doubles over the final 23 games of the season. He also shattered the UA single-season record with 364 rebounds and led the NCAA with 54 charges drawn.
With six freshmen and four transfers coming in this offseason, the lone remaining question regarding Arkansas’ 2021-22 roster is the status of Williams.
If he returns, the Razorbacks will be one over the 13-man scholarship limit, according to HawgBeat’s roster tracker. That means someone would have to leave to get them under the limit.
As things currently stand, only three players are set to return from last year’s team: Davonte Davis, Kamani Johnson and Jaxson Robinson. It’s worth noting that Johnson and Robinson have already transferred once before and the May 1 deadline to enter the portal and receive immediate eligibility as passed.