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Without a doubt, one of the major keys to the Arkansas basketball team's success next season is whether or not Moses Kingsley will be a part of it. Kingsley is a potential SEC Player of the Year candidate if he returns and if he leaves, the team wouldn't have a proven frontcourt scorer on the roster.
After last season ended and Kingsley was named 2nd team All-SEC and to the All-Defensive team, Kingsley declared for the draft but didn't hire an agent, giving him until late May to decide whether or not to return to school.
The NBA announced 162 players made the same move, and each year only invite 60-70 players to their combine, so most of the players who declared won't get a chance to compete there, and we learned this week that Kingsley is among those that won't be there (although I'd argue he is better than some of the players on that list - Tim Quarterman from LSU, really?)
The NBA sent out invites to about 70 players over the weekend for the NBA combine. I have compiled a list of 64: pic.twitter.com/ZQas9DA6XT
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) May 2, 2016
The obvious question is whether or not this means he'll definitely be back at Arkansas next season. It might make it more likely, but he could still decide to make a run for the NBA Draft.
Although it might not happen too often, there are players who aren't invited to the combine but still end up getting drafted late and making a team. Again, it's not often, and that's not the outcome I would bank on if I had another option like going back to school, but it is a possibility. Of course, there's always the overseas option as well, which may seem more feasible to a player like Kingsley who grew up overseas to begin with.
Some players not selected for the combine have already announced they were coming back to school, but the only word about Kingsley is that he's going to work out for the Boston Celtics soon.
So basically, and I know this isn't what anybody wants to hear, we're still in the waiting game. Kingsley still has a few weeks to decide and can still work out for NBA teams even though he won't be at the combine. The lack of a combine invite might be a solid indication that the NBA Draft might not be in the cards this year and that might nudge him back toward Fayetteville, but it's not a lock yet.
But we'll find out for sure in the next few weeks.