The Arkansas Razorbacks and Alabama Crimson Tide are among the Southeastern Conference teams being hit by underclassmen declaring early for the NBA draft, while the 2019-2020 SEC champion Kentucky Wildcats, having had four players declare earlier this month, are replenishing the roster, adding a transfer from Rhode Island this week.
In Fayetteville, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman has announced that sophomore guard Isaiah Joe is declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft, although he has not hired an agent. If an agent is not hired, Joe could return to the Razorbacks for his junior season. The 6’5″ forward, in his sophomore year, averaged 16.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, including a 21-point outing against Mizzou in his first game back from right knee surgery.
Last month, Arkansas guard Mason Jones declared for the draft, after averaging 22 points per game in a season that earned him AP Co-SEC Player of the Year honors.
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama junior guard Kira Lewis Jr. is leaving the Crimson Tide program for the NBA. Over the past two seasons at Alabama, Lewis averaged 15.9 points and 4 assists per game.
Six-foot, eight-inch freshman forward Jacob Toppin of Rhode Island, the younger brother of National Player of the Year Obi Toppin of Dayton, is signing with the Kentucky Wildcats. Per NCAA transfer rules, Toppin must sit out next season at Kentucky, then, starting with 2021-2022, will have three years of eligibility remaining. As a freshman with the URI Rams, Topping averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, starting three of 30 games played.
