FAYETTEVILLE -- The NBA Draft was supposed to have been over by now.
But like all sporting events, it was postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead of being held on June 25, the draft has been moved to Oct. 16.
That means the date set by the NCAA for early entries to withdraw from the draft has been moved from June 3 to Aug. 3 or 10 days after the NBA scouting combine -- whichever comes first.
There isn't yet a rescheduled date for the scouting combine, which was to have been held May 21-24 in Chicago.
That delay means the University of Arkansas coaching staff might have to wait as long as another month to learn if Isaiah Joe -- who celebrated his 21st birthday on Thursday -- will return to the UA for his junior season or decide to stay in the draft.
Joe, a 6-5 guard from Fort Smith Northside who averaged 16.9 points last season, entered the draft in late April. But Joe hasn't signed with an agent in order to retain his eligibility in case he decides to withdraw his name.
Arkansas is at the NCAA scholarship limit of 13 including Joe.
"We've got two different depth charts and two different game plans," Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said of Joe's uncertain status with the Razorbacks. "And until we find out one way or the other, we'll just keep proceeding with (plans for) one team with him and one team without him."
Musselman, speaking with reporters Wednesday on a Zoom call, said he's not sure of the timeline Joe and his family have for making a decision on the draft.
NBA teams haven't been allowed to meet with draft prospects in person or bring them in for workouts as would normally happen, but Musselman said Joe has had numerous Zoom interviews.
"Those are going to start tapering down," Musselman said. "They've already started tapering down in the last week, and it'll continue to go in a slower pattern."
Musselman was an NBA head coach at Golden State and Sacramento and an assistant with Minnesota, Orlando, Memphis and Atlanta. So he has a lot of experience in the draft process from the pro teams' end and numerous contacts within the NBA.
"As I've stated in the past, we're just here to support Isaiah," Musselman said. "Here to support and facilitate any of these Zoom interviews that we possibly can."
Joe is on campus with his Arkansas teammates going through voluntary workouts and most of the team meetings.
"He missed a couple of our Zooms we might have had based on conflicts with his NBA interview Zooms," Musselman said. "But, as always, he's been a great teammate to all of the guys who are with us."
Joe is not listed as a first-round pick in any of the many NBA mock drafts. He is ranked as high as No. 40 by Sports Illustrated and No. 50 by CBS.
Some websites don't have Joe being selected at all among the 60 picks.
The Athletic rates Joe the No. 70 prospect while NBADraft.net has him at No. 61.
"I don't know much more we can do," Musselman said of helping Joe and his family prepare to deal with NBA teams. "We put together a pretty extensive book when the process was beginning and we gave some of our feedback. We continue to give feedback."
Musselman said Hays Myers, an Arkansas staff member, keeps up with Joe's interviews with NBA teams.
"I'll follow up or someone on staff will follow up and get feedback from those NBA teams and from those interviews," Musselman said. "Whatever information we can share with Isaiah and with his father, Derrick, we do that and that's just kind of how the process goes."
As Nevada's coach for four seasons before coming to Arkansas last year, Musselman had experience waiting to see if players who entered the draft would return.
After the Wolf Pack advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2018 before losing to Chicago-Loyola, three Nevada players -- twins Caleb and Cody Martin and Jordan Caroline -- were early NBA Draft entries. All three decided to return to Nevada as seniors.
"It was challenging at Nevada with the original (withdrawal) date," Musselman said of recruiting while not being sure if his team's top players would be back. "Really challenging when you try to put together a roster.
"So I think when you go through those situations, you grow as a coach, you grow in your approach, which is why right now we have two different scenarios (depending on Joe's decision)."
The Razorbacks for sure are losing guard Mason Jones, who averaged 22.3 points to lead the SEC in scoring as a junior last season. Jones entered the draft and has signed with an agent
"We want what's best for our players," Musselman said. "We want to get on that phone and try to promote Mason and try to promote Isaiah as much as we possibly can."
Musselman said he doesn't view the situation as though Arkansas is playing a waiting game with Joe.
"I didn't make the rules, Isaiah didn't make the rules." Musselman said. "The NBA made the rules and the NCAA on what that (withdrawal) date is.
"So if somebody gives you a rule, you just kind of roll with it and you make the best of it. You just take it day by day and you try to support Isaiah as much as you can."
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