Pair of Calipari hand-picked Arkansas wings among top sophomores nationally

Much is expected of talented backcourt duo of Knox, Richmond this season

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Billy Richmond against the Texas Longhorns at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — They both came in as national Top 25-rated 5-star prosects, both had strong freshman campaigns, and now Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III are getting some preseason national accolades.

Knox (6-6, 220, native of Tampa, Fla.) and Richmond (6-6, 205, native of Memphis, Tenn.) were both tabbed as part of a Top 30 college basketball sophomore rankings published on Tuesday by CBK Report (aka College Basketball Report).

Knox checked in at No. 8 on the list while Richmond was slotted at No. 29.

There were five schools with multiple players on the list: Arkansas with the aforementioned Knox and Richmond, St. John's with Ian Jackson at No. 7 and Joson Sanon at No. 20, Purdue with Daniel Jacobson at No. 25 and CJ Cox at No. 27, Washington with Wesley Yates III at No. 10 and Zoom Diallo at No. 24, and Creighton with Jackson McAndrew at No. 18 and Blake Harper at No. 30.

Auburn's returning sophomore lead guard Tahaad Pettiford topped the list at No. 1, Alabama's Labaron Philon is No. 2, and former Hog and current Florida guard Boogie Fland checked in at No. 3.

In total, the SEC represents half of the top 10 players on the list (includes Knox) and placed nearly one-third of the entire list (9 of the 30).

Knox tested the 2025 NBA Draft waters in the offseason, including his participation in the NBA Draft Combine held in May, before eventually withdrawing from the draft to return to school of this sophomore campaign. He's expected to garner more preseason honors.

Knox played in all 36 games as a freshman (making 24 starts) as he averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 24.0 minutes per outing while shooting 46.2% overall from the field, including 35-of-100 from 3 for 35.0%, and 80.2% from the free throw line.

Razorbacks Karter Knox guards Isaiah Sealy at practice at the Eddie Sutton Practice Center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

In the Razorbacks' final 18 games (a.k.a. the second half of the season), Knox averaged 10.4 points per contest while shooting 20-of-46 from 3 for 43.5% and 53-of-66 at the free throw line for 80.3%.

Knox's best game might have come in Arkansas' heart-breaking, season-ending 85-83 overtime loss to Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in March.

He recorded a 20-point performance (6-of-8 field goals, including 4-of-4 from 3, and 4-of-5 free throws) to go with 6 rebounds in 36 minutes. In the Razorbacks' previous game, a 75-66 win over 2nd-seed and 5th-ranked St. John's in the NCAAT Round of 32, he notched 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 27 minutes.

Richmond brought explosiveness, great energy, menacing defensive versatility, and an attack-the-rim determination in is successful freshman season.

He came off the bench in all 36 games, averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 17.5 minutes per outing while shooting 52.3% overall from the field, including only 2-of-16 from 3 for 12.5%, and 73.2% from the free throw line.

In the aforementioned win over St. John's, Richmond struck for his career-highs in points (16, which also served as a team high for the game) and rebounds (9) in 29 minutes.

Whether or not both Knox and Richmond are in the starting lineup together this season, both will have starter, big-role value as they represent half of the team's four-player retention from last season's roster.