John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks will have a key player return to their squad for next season after their NBA Draft decision. That player is Karter Knox.

Knox revealed his choice to withdraw his name from the draft and return to the Razorbacks for the 2025-26 season, doing so with an Instagram post on Monday. His name gained few projections on mock drafts, resulting in him using another year of eligibility to grow his stock for next year.

Knox returns to an Arkansas squad that will have D.J. Wagner, Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond III coming back as well. This unit has unfinished business to take care of going into the next collegiate season.

What's next for Karter Knox, Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks forward Karter Knox (11) celebrates during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the St. John's Red Storm at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks heavily benefit from getting Karter Knox back for next season, continuing to develop his talent and maximize his potential with the program.

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Knox impressed throughout the 24 starts he made for the Razorbacks as a freshman. In 33 total appearances, he averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and one assist per game while shooting 46.2% from the field, including 35% from beyond the arc.

He helped the Razorbacks finish with a 22-14 overall record, having gone 8-10 in SEC Play. The team averaged 76.8 points on 46.2% shooting overall, including 32.7% from downtown. As a result, they took down opponents by a margin of 5.4 points per game.

Despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Arkansas did enough to secure an At-Large bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. They took advantage of the opportunity, making a run to the Sweet 16. They nearly reached the Elite Eight but lost in overtime to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In that Sweet 16 loss, Knox had a standout performance. He scored 20 points as he almost helped the Razorbacks advance to the next round. With plenty of their players back for next season, Arkansas may be a team to watch out for as they prepare for their second season with Calipari.