Kingsley not picked for combine

Whitt picks SMU; game for Gophers

Arkansas' Moses Kingsley (33) looks to the basket as Texas Tech's Matthew Temple (34) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)
Arkansas' Moses Kingsley (33) looks to the basket as Texas Tech's Matthew Temple (34) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas center Moses Kingsley isn't going to Chicago, former Razorbacks guard Jimmy Whitt said he's headed to Dallas and the Hogs will be playing in Minneapolis next season.

Those developments were all part of a newsy Monday for the Arkansas men's basketball program.

Kingsley isn't among the 64 college players invited to the NBA Scouting Combine held May 11-15 in Chicago, according to an ESPN report. He also isn't on the list of 13 alternates for the combine.

Kingsley can still return to Arkansas for his senior season. He has declared for the NBA Draft, but is taking advantage of a new rule that allows college players to retain their eligibility if they don't sign with an agent.

College players have until May 25 to withdraw from the draft.

Whitt, who played for the Razorbacks as a freshman this season, told Scout.com he will transfer to SMU. Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson previously announced Whitt wanted to transfer and wouldn't be back at Arkansas.

Arkansas granted Whitt a scholarship release that allowed him to transfer to any school outside of the SEC.

Whitt has continued to attend classes at Arkansas this semester.

"At this point, it was about finding the best fit for myself and when it came down to it, SMU had everything I was looking for," he told Scout.com. "The development side and playing style were all there for me.

"It's a great program moving in a big direction, and it's nice to be part of a place you see having great success and expects to continue that success moving forward."

Arkansas and Minnesota have agreed to a home-and-home series, CBS Sports reported, with the teams playing in Minneapolis next season and in Fayetteville during the 2017-2018 season. No dates were given for the games.

Arkansas is not confirming the CBS report because the UA and Minnesota have not signed a contract.

The Razorbacks have a 3-1 series edge against Minnesota. The Razorbacks and Golden Gophers last played during the 2013-2014 season, when Arkansas won 87-73 at the Maui Invitational.

Kingsley, 6-10 and 230 pounds, announced April 12 he would enter his name into the draft, but not sign with an agent. He can still go through workouts for NBA teams despite not being invited to the scouting combine.

Anderson and Kingsley will not comment on his status until he decides whether to stay in the draft or withdraw his name, an Arkansas spokesman said.

Kingsley was a second-team All-SEC pick by coaches and members of the media as a junior this season when he averaged 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game. He also was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.

Anderson endorsed Kingsley's decision to explore his draft options.

"I think he will go in with his eyes open, knowing there are some things that he has to continue to work on," Anderson said last month at Arkansas' basketball banquet. "Most importantly, it gives him some feedback."

Whitt, who averaged 6.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 17.2 minutes in 32 games with the Razorbacks, must redshirt next season at SMU in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. He then will have three seasons of eligibility left to play for the Mustangs, whose coach, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Larry Brown, is 75.

Whitt may be joined at SMU with former Arkansas signee Ted Kapita, a 6-8 forward. Kapita was expected to be a freshman for the Razorbacks last season, but he never became academically eligible.

CBS reported earlier this year that Kapita signed with a pro team in France, but Kapita said that never happened.

""I cannot stop people from saying stuff they want to say. We're in America," Kapita told SportsNet New York in November.

Several media outlets have reported Kapita is committed to SMU and Brown, but there are no reports he has gained his collegiate eligibility. He played this season for DME Academy, a prep school in Daytona Beach, Fla. Kapita told SportsNet New York he was continuing to work to score high enough on the ACT to be eligible to play in college.

Sports on 05/03/2016

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