Arkansas forward Adou Thiero will remain in the NBA Draft and will not return to Arkansas for his senior season, according to multiple reports made on Wednesday.
Thiero declared for the draft on April 8 after his third season in college basketball and his first with the Razorbacks. The prevailing thought throughout the process was that Thiero would stay in the draft, but he never fully closed the door on returning to Arkansas until Wednesday.
Most mock drafts have Thiero being drafted either late in the first round or early in the second round. As of Tuesday, No Ceilings' mock had him at No. 23, while NBADraft.net has him at No. 44.
Wednesday is the final day for draft entrants to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility. Other high-profile players in the draft, like Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) and Alex Condon (Florida), chose to withdraw and return to college, but Thiero won't be joining them.
Thiero participated in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine but stayed out of the optional 5-on-5 scrimmages. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Thiero measured 6-foot-6 1/4 barefoot and weighed 218.4 pounds. He has a 7-foot wingspan and an 8-foot-8 1/2 standing reach.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thiero led the Hogs in points (15.1) and rebounds (5.8) per game while he also averaged 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals last season. His play elevated the Razorbacks throughout the season — especially in SEC games — and was a consistent force for a roller-coaster Arkansas team.
Thiero continued his strong season until a knee injury he sustained against Missouri on Feb. 22 sidelined him for over a month. He played in the Hogs' season-ending loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16, but only logged five minutes.
With Thiero's decision, Arkansas now sits at 11 players on its roster. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas basketball.
