Jon Rothstein names one player who can elevate John Calipari's Arkansas as SEC championship contenders

Arkansas forward Karter Knox has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to school, which is a huge boost for John Calipari's team. Knox, who had a stellar freshman campaign, announced his decision on Monday on social media.

However, junior forward Adou Thiero remains in the NBA draft pool but has until Wednesday to remove his name from consideration.

CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein weighed in on the Razorbacks' offseason on his podcast on YouTube. He said Thiero's decision could be a key factor in whether the team can contend for an SEC championship next season.

"Karter Knox is back," Rothstein said on Tuesday (16:53). "Yes, this was something that was obviously resonating for Arkansas here. It's interesting — Adou Thiero is another player who I'm expecting to stay in the NBA draft. That's been the vibe out of Arkansas's camp. He is one of those guys, though, that is a fringe first-round pick.

"I'm not expecting this to happen, but if Adou Thiero ever came back to Arkansas next year — if that happened, which sometimes crazy things happen at the deadline — Arkansas would be the top challenger to Florida in the SEC. If that happened. If that happened."

According to ESPN's post-combine mock draft, Thiero is projected to be the No. 34 pick by the Charlotte Hornets. Meanwhile, Knox was not on Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo's list of prospects.

John Calipari and Arkansas add two commitments from transfer portal

The Arkansas Razorbacks were eliminated in the Sweet 16 last season. They did not have much success in conference play either, finishing 8-10 in the SEC.

For his second year in Fayetteville, John Calipari made noise in the transfer portal. The Razorbacks picked up a pair of commitments in April, adding Florida State center Malique Ewin and South Carolina big man Nick Pringle — both over 6-foot-10.

Ewin averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Seminoles last season as a junior, while Pringle put up 9.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg for the Gamecocks as a senior.

In the recruiting class department, Calipari and his staff landed four-star guard Isaiah Sealy out of Springdale (Arkansas) High School.