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Memphis native and Camden (N.J.) four-star small forward Billy Richmond has committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Richmond decommitted from Kentucky on April 16 following the departure of head coach John Calipari, who left Lexington for the same position at Arkansas.

Richmond is the No. 24 overall prospect and No. 9 SF in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Billy Richmond Scouting Summary
“Billy Richmond is a connecting forward prospect. Standing at a lengthy 6-6, he has a projectable frame that should continue to add weight and not lose fluidity or explosion. He is a good passer, sees the floor well and properly weight passes at multiple levels. The jump shot needs work as it is flat and the shot load is inconsistent. Richmond puts pressure on the rim from the wing. He can quickly turn defense into offense with his anticipation and aggression in the passing lanes. A switchable defender able to guard on the ball or slide down to defend bigger forwards. He moves the ball well and looks to punish the rim in transition. The jump shot will need development.”

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New Arkansas basketball head coach John Calipari has picked up his third commitment for the 2024 high school recruiting class, as four-star wing Billy Richmond made his pledge to the Razorbacks according to multiple reports on Friday.

Richmond, a 6-foot-6 forward out of Atlanta, Georgia, initially committed to Calipari and the Wildcats on December 21, 2023. He originally chose the Wildcats over the likes of Alabama, UConn, Kansas, Louisville, Miami, and others.

The news comes shortly after Richmond began his visit with the Razorbacks on Wednesday evening. He was on campus with fellow 2024 prospect and five-star point guard Boogie Fland, who committed to the Hogs on Thursday.

Many anticipated Richmond would follow Calipari to Arkansas given his close relationship to the Hall of Fame head coach. After all, Richmond's father played for Calipari at Memphis from 2003-04.

“The reason I picked Kentucky is because (there’s) a great coaching staff, (John) Calipari, he always keep it real with me,” Richmond said in an interview with The Athletic after his commitment to Kentucky. “That’s a big reason.”

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John Calipari and Arkansas basketball continued their recent momentum on the recruiting trail, landing highly-touted composite five-star forward Billy Richmond on Thursday. The 6-5, 200-pound small forward announced his commitment to the Razorback with a post on X (formerly Twitter). Shortly after, the university's account confirmed Richmond had officially signed with the program.

Richmond's decision comes after taking an official visit to Fayetteville on Wednesday evening. 247Sports has him rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 22 overall player and No. 8 small forward in the 2024 recruiting class. According to the 247Sports industry-generated Composite Rankings, Richmond is a five-star recruit and rated No. 25 overall prospect in this cycle.

The Camden, N.J. native committed to Kentucky back on Dec. 21 of last year, when Calipari was still the school's head coach. He chose to play for Calipari at Kentucky over offers from Alabama, Memphis, LSU, Kansas, UConn and Texas among others.

With Richmond's commitment, the Razorbacks are now up to four scholarship players for the 2024-25 season and have just nine roster spots needed to fill.

"Richmond is a big and athletic lefty wing with developing guard skills. He's highly competitive and plays with a high-motor and attacking mentality. Athletically, he runs very well, is an explosive leaper, and can rise-up through contact with a lot of sheer force.

He has a naturally stronger frame, in both his upper and lower body, and plenty of room to keep adding muscle. He plays a drive-first style with the ball in his hands. He gets downhill extremely well when driving to his dominant left side, is a constant threat to make a big play in transition, and capable of finishing with a variety of power, explosiveness, and touch. He's now creating for others at an increasingly frequent rate, but can be a bit turnover prone in the process.

While he's a little more controlled, and less dynamic, with the ball in his right hand, the biggest inconsistency in his skill-set is his outside shooting. He converted just 25% of his three-point attempts in the EYBL regular season and can be reluctant to take open shots. He has a naturally harder ball and some red-flags in his mechanics, but is more comfortable shooting off the dribble than the catch.

Defensively, he utilizes his physical tools and competitiveness to be a playmaker, both on and off the ball, but may not necessarily have as much length as advertised. He's also a solid wing rebounder who likes to take the ball off the glass and start the break himself."