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re: Arkansas Basketball Recruiting Thread *Muss Years Archive - do NOT delete*
Posted on 5/11/22 at 2:11 pm to RazorHawg
Posted on 5/11/22 at 2:11 pm to RazorHawg
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Arkansas' 10 Highest-rated Hoops Signees
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Eric Musselman and the Arkansas men's basketball staff got more good news for the Class of 2022 on Wednesday when 247Sports released its final 150 rankings for the cycle. Now, three of this year's signees are among the program's top four highest-rated additions in the online rankings era.
The impressive 2022 haul includes five-star combo guard Nick Smith of North Little Rock (Ark.), five-star point guard Anthony Black of Duncanville (Texas), five-star small forward Jordan Walsh of Branson (Mo.) Link Academy, four-star combo guard Derrian Ford of Magnolia (Ark.), four-star small forward Barry Dunning of Mobile (Ala.) McGill Toolen, and four-star small forward Joseph Pinion of Morrilton (Ark.). With five verbal commitments on board, Arkansas' class finishes at No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the SEC. Arkansas' previous highest finish was No. 4 in the nation in the Class of 2004.
Now that the 2022 rankings are final, it's once again time to update Arkansas' ten highest-rated hoops commitments in the modern era -- a list that seems to change every time the Razorbacks land a new addition under Musselman.
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10. STEVEN HILL | 4-STAR (.9843) | CLASS OF 2004
Steven Hill was a 7-foot center in Arkansas' highest-rated class of all time. Rated as the No. 35 overall prospect in the nation and No. 1 in his home state of Missouri, Hill chose the nearby Razorbacks over the Mizzou Tigers. The Branson product enjoyed a long, successful career in Fayetteville, finishing second on the program's all-time blocks list with 318 through 132 games, per HogStats.com. Hill was not drafted but had a cup of coffee with the Portland Trailblazers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2008-09 season. From there, he spent three seasons with the Tulsa 66ers (now the Oklahoma City Blue).
9. DANIEL GAFFORD | 4-STAR (.9860) | CLASS OF 2017
Former Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson landed Daniel Gafford out of El Dorado (Ark.) in the Class of 2017. The 6-9 power forward turned down offers from Florida, Kansas, Virginia and several others to play for the home state Hogs. Gafford was the No. 39 overall prospect in the country and the top-rated player in the state of Arkansas. He became one of the SEC's best players in his two seasons on The Hill and was named First-Team All-SEC as a sophomore. Gafford was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 38th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft. He currently plays for the Washington Wizards.
8. RONNIE BREWER | 4-STAR (.9869) | CLASS OF 2003
Ronnie Brewer, son of former Arkansas great Ron Brewer, was a homegrown product out of Fayetteville in the 2003 cycle. He held offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and others but decided to stay at home to play for the Hogs. Brewer, 6-6, 190 as a prospect, had a stellar career for the Razorbacks, averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He became a first-round selection when the Utah Jazz selected him with the 14th overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft. Brewer went on to play for six different NBA teams between 2006-14. He now serves as Arkansas' recruiting coordinator.
7. BJ YOUNG | 5-STAR (.9919) | CLASS OF 2011
B.J. Young was a five-star recruit at McCluer North in Florissant (Mo.) in the Class of 2011. The 247Sports Composite rankings tabbed him as the No. 21 overall prospect in the nation and the No. 2 player in Missouri behind only Bradley Beal, one of the NBA's top current players. Young spent two seasons on the Hill, averaging 15.3 points as a freshman and 15.2 as a sophomore before deciding to enter the 2013 NBA Draft. Young went unselected and has bounced around different teams since leaving college. He currently plays for Libertadores de Querétaro.
6. OLU FAMUTIMI | 5-STAR (.9932) | CLASS OF 2003
Olu Famutimi was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2003. The Toronto native transferred to Flint Northwestern in Flint (Mich.) and turned down offers from Memphis and Missouri in choosing the Razorbacks. Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, USC and many others also recruited the 6-5 prospect. Famutimi never had the kind of college career he'd hoped for, lasting two seasons in Fayetteville and averaging just 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 57 career games. Famutimi surprisingly entered the 2005 NBA Draft but was not selected. He has played for 14 different teams in several different countries.
5. BOBBY PORTIS | 5-STAR (.9934) | CLASS OF 2013
If this was a ranking of most popular Razorback basketball signees, Bobby Portis might take the top spot. But being a five-star and the No. 17 player in the nation for the Class of 2013 wasn't too shabby, either. Portis never showed any interest in playing for anyone except the Hogs, but held offers from Baylor, Florida, Kansas, Memphis, Nebraska and others. He spent two seasons in Fayetteville and was named SEC Player of the Year for his work as a sophomore, which saw the Little Rock native average 17.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Portis was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 22nd overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. He became a world champion and an NBA fan favorite last season during the Milwaukee Bucks' title run.
4. JORDAN WALSH | 5-STAR (.9904)
Jordan Walsh, a 6-7 forward, chose the Razorbacks over Texas, Kansas, Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, LSU, Auburn and many others. Walsh was originally No. 7 on this list, but 247Sports' final rankings for the 2022 cycle allowed his Composite to rise from .9904 to .9935, which was enough to pass BJ Young, Olu Famutimi and Bobby Portis. He is part of a five-man class that ranks No. 2 in the nation for the 2022 cycle.
3. ANTHONY BLACK | 5-STAR (.9938) | CLASS OF 2022
Anthony Black made his long awaited decision in favor of the Razorbacks in late March, joining two other five-stars and three more four-stars to finish off the nation's No. 2 recruiting class. The 6-7 point guard from Duncanville (Texas) chose the Hogs over Gonzaga, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor and many others. On Wednesday, he went from sixth on this list all the way to third after seeing a nice jump in 247Sports' final rankings for 2022. As a result, his new Composite score was also enough to pass BJ Young, Olu Famutimi and Bobby Portis while staying just ahead of new teammate Walsh.
2. AL JEFFERSON | 5-STAR (.9990) | CLASS OF 2004
Al Jefferson of Prentiss (Miss.) was a McDonald's All-American, a Parade All-American, and the nation's No. 4 overall recruit in the Class of 2004. He signed with the Razorbacks in the Class of 2004, which is a big reason why that cycle is Arkansas' highest-rated to date, but chose to skip college and go straight to the NBA Draft. He was taken by the Boston Celtics with the 15th overall pick of the first round of the 2004 draft. Jefferson played for five different NBA teams from 2004-18 and was named to the All-NBA Third-Team in 2014. He last played for the Indiana Pacers in 2018.
1. NICK SMITH | 5-STAR (.9993) | CLASS OF 2022
Nick Smith of North Little Rock is the new No. 1 on this list as of May 11, 2022. He was just named America's top player for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports, which boosted his Composite score from .9965 to .9993 -- just enough to sneak past Jefferson. The 6-4 combo guard chose the Razorbacks over three other finalists in Alabama, Auburn, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He also held offers from Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Baylor, Butler, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and many others.
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Posted on 5/11/22 at 6:56 pm to RazorHawg
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College basketball recruiting rankings: Duke, Arkansas highlight 10 best 2022 prep classes after final update
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2. ARKANSAS
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Eric Musselman is making history. The Arkansas coach now has landed the Hogs' first-ever No. 1 recruit in the country. Superstar guard Nick Smith was unanimously elevated to the top spot in 247Sports' Class of 2022 rankings.
"Smith has great quickness, but is able to manipulate defenders with his handle and changes of speed," Flaherty writes. "And he can score at all three levels, thanks to an understanding of how to get to his shot and great body control at the rim that could see him stack up the free throw attempts at times in college. Smith continued to prove himself as a scorer (and all-round player) on the all-star circuit this spring, and he should give Arkansas an All-SEC type player from the word 'go'."
Arkansas has six top-100 players in the Class of 2022 coming in. Smith is the headliner, but Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh were also named McDonald's All-Americans. Smith, Black and Walsh could all start from Day One. 4-star Derrian Ford and 3-stars Barry Dunning and Joseph Pinion look like good evaluations by the Arkansas staff.
Posted on 5/12/22 at 1:57 pm to RazorHawg
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:07 pm to cubsfan5150
3rd school in three years. Crazy
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:14 pm to Hawgeye
Muss will help the kid get a waiver. Now, we need Council to go public.
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:40 pm to Pygthagorean Theorem
(no message)
This post was edited on 5/12/22 at 2:48 pm
Posted on 5/12/22 at 5:22 pm to RazorHawg
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2023 G Layden Blocker announces he will make his decision on July 2 (his birthday) after the NBPA Top 100 camp. He will officially visit Arkansas June 6-8.
Posted on 5/12/22 at 9:38 pm to Hawgeye
just like desi
Posted on 5/13/22 at 12:19 am to pioneerbasketball
Council announcing tomorrow at noon. Supposedly didn't want commit the same day Jax left.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 12:59 am to RazorHawg
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2. ARKANSAS
Team score: 70.02
If you haven't hopped on the Muss Bus, it's probably a little too late. The job that Eric Musselman and the Arkansas coaching staff has done has been remarkable. Let's start with the prep recruiting haul. Arkansas has six top-100 players in the Class of 2022 coming in. Combo guard Nick Smith (No. 4 in the country) is the headliner, but Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh were also named McDonald's All-Americans. Derrian Ford, Barry Dunning and Joseph Pinion are all really talented freshmen that are coming in too.
Arkansas went out in the transfer portal and reeled in Trevon Brazile (Missouri), Makhel and Makhi Mitchell (Rhode Island) and Jalen Graham (Arizona State). That is an absolute haul on both fronts.
On paper, Arkansas has landed four superstars in Smith, Black, Walsh and Brazile. There's not room for everyone to thrive right away, but Arkansas has serious depth and so many ways that they can beat you. They have the personnel to match nearly every team they face off against.
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One of the most sought-after players in the class of 2023, five-star forward Ron Holland, announced on Sunday that he's down to a final eight.
A 6-foot-8 junior at Duncanville (Texas) High who plays with Drive Nation on the grassroots circuit, Holland is down to Arkansas, Auburn, the G League, Houston, Kentucky, Memphis, Texas and UCLA.
He felt now was the time to narrow his focus and concentrate on the programs that he feels can best prepare him for his end goal of playing in the NBA.
“I feel like it is coming down to a point where I need to cut down my list because I don’t want to waste anybody’s time," Holland told 247Sports. "I feel like it’s time to lock in the options that are the best for me to help reach my goals.
“My finalists all have a whole resumé of helping guys do what I’m trying to do.”
Make no mistake, reaching the NBA is very important to Holland. He discussed why he likes each of his finalists while playing at the TB5Reports Who Want the Smoke event.
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Arkansas: “Arkansas, Eric Musselman he recruits heavily, and I can see that he’s good at getting guys ready and getting guys into his program and letting them rock out so that’s why I put them in there.”
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JOHNSON IS A ROLLERCOASTER GUARD
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Speaking of debates around 247, current No. 39 Chris Johnson has been a guy that we have been discussing heavily. An athletic and creative guard from Houston, Johnson is a gifted scorer and playmaker who is nearly unstoppable when he’s got things rolling the offensive end. He’s creative, he’s got tremendous wiggle and pushing 6-foot-5 he’s got good size and athleticism plus the ability to make it rain from deep. On the other hand, he’s about as high risk/high reward as any guard in the class. What he giveth with his scoring and playmaking, he can take away by playing out of control, making some questionable decisions, and letting his emotions get the best of him.
Evaluating Johnson is the hoops equivalent of riding a rollercoaster.
We didn’t get a chance to speak with Johnson as planned, but buzz has been that Arkansas, Kansas and Tennessee have been doing pretty well with him. Wherever he lands on the next level, it is going to be interesting because any coach that gets him is going to have to be willing to let him be him while he’s going to have to be open to playing a bit more under control to make things work.
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Last but not least, top 40 ranked Wesley Yates was focused on getting to the rim on Sunday. A strong and tough shooting guard, Yates is capable of knocking home big jumpers but it was fun to see him using his strength to get to the rim as often as possible.
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NO. 2 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
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The Class: Nick Smith, Anthony Black, Jordan Walsh, Derrian Ford, Barry Dunning and Joseph Pinion
Bossi’s analysis: The Muss Bus is rolling well past the speed limit and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. After back-to-back appearances in the Elite Eight this could be the class that helps to push the Razorbacks to the next level. As the No. 1 player in the class, Smith is the headliner and the 6-foot-4 combo guard is an electrifying, homegrown, playmaker off the dribble.
With Smith’s fellow five-stars Black and Walsh, Arkansas is adding a pair of long and athletic playmakers on both ends of the floor. Ford is another Arkansas native and he’s a strong scorer who can get hot from deep. Dunning gives them another body to play as a combo forward and as the third in-state player in the class, Pinion is a wing shooter who adds size. Musselman and his staff will be working in this six man group with the nation’s third ranked transfer portal class.
Consider that Arkansas is bringing in 247Sports’ No. 3 transfer class and it’s inevitable the Razorbacks will be a preseason darling.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 6:40 am to RazorHawg
Is it just me or is anybody else more excited for this basketball season than anything since 95 in any sport. Even 11 football we knew that beating Bama and LSU was going to extremely difficult.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 7:27 am to hawgndodge
Lots of potential and new people have to gel
Posted on 5/13/22 at 7:48 am to hawgfaninc
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new people have to gel
Sounds like they already have and will do more playing together before they get here.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:18 am to hawgndodge
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Is it just me or is anybody else more excited for this basketball season than anything since 95 in any sport.
I was amped going into the 2009 football season. After a decade of Nutt and mediocre QB/passing, we had Petrino and Mallett.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:23 am to Jon Ham
Ricky Council IV
@Rickythe4th
New chapter!
Committing tomorrow at 12???
@Rickythe4th
New chapter!
Committing tomorrow at 12???
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:25 am to Pygthagorean Theorem
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:26 am to Pygthagorean Theorem
He loves to milk things or was asked/suggested to wait until today. 
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:29 am to rockiee
Probably asked to wait so Jaxson could announce his departure first.
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:54 am to Pygthagorean Theorem
Where does Council fit in for us? He a shooter? Does he start or come off the bench?
Posted on 5/13/22 at 9:25 am to Billy Blanks
Backup for Smith. Decent shooter, more of a slasher, pretty athletic, good dunker. Staff likes him most supposedly for his defensive efficiency. Has 3 yrs left to play, too, which is a big plus.
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