A big part of the recruiting pitch for the best prospects to eric musselmann is that he has had an NBA Draft pick in each of his seasons in Arkansas, and it appears the sale has been successful as the Razorbacks have a pool of pro talent on the roster for next season.
With grumpy moses becoming the first one-and-done in the show’s history and Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams getting his name on draft nights, Musselman has been able to double down by amassing wins and postseason success to make Arkansas one of the trendiest destinations for elite players, whether from the ranks of high school high school or through the transfer portal.
According to 247Sports, Arkansas is welcoming the No. 2 high school class in the country to tag along for the No. 6 ranked portal tour. The 11-man class joins davonte davis and Kamani Johnson to give the Hogs a roster built to win with as much top-tier talent as any.
“We have six freshmen here this year,” Musselman said. “I think the way you build your team is how you rack up so many pieces that fit together that are high-level talent, whether they’re freshmen or transfers.
“We do so many statistical things. Todd Lee he’s broken down every game of the last four minutes of last year, every possession of the last four minutes, and he and I have gone through that and the rhyme or the reason why we did something why don’t we call a timeout here, no ask for a timeout there. And we do the same with roster management.”
Musselman has been quoted numerous times since taking over from Arkansas as saying that essentially every night in the SEC means facing future NBA players, and he’s not exaggerating. The league has produced 33 draft picks in the last three years alone, including 18 first-round picks and eight lottery picks. It doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, either, as nearly 40 percent of the five-star prospects in the 2022 class are on their way to SEC programs.
The way Musselman sees it, for a team to win consistently in the SEC, it has to be able to compete with elite talent. His research also shows that the cream of the crop on draft night comes through the high school ranks rather than the transfer route.
In terms of the SEC selections referenced above, six of the eight lottery selections were true freshmen and the other two were non-transfer sophomores. Of the 18 first-round picks, only two, Auburn’s Walker Kessler and LSU season rates — were transfers.
As for Arkansas’ roster for next season, there’s a trio of McDonald’s five-star All-Americans and freshmen in Nick Smith, anthony black Y jordan walsh who stand out as fitting the mold and are seen as future lotteries or first-round picks by most reputable publications. NBADraftRoom, for example, has Smith third, Black fifth and Walsh 11th in the 2023 draft. CBS Sports has the trio fourth, ninth and 22nd, respectively.
“One year we had one freshman. One year we had four freshmen, now we have six,” Musselman said. “I have no idea what the list is going to look like. What I do know, doing statistical analysis and a deep dive, there aren’t many lottery picks that are transfers, I can tell you that right now, because I’ve studied this thing. There’s not a lots of transfers in the first round.
“And the only way you can win in the SEC is much easier if you have lottery picks. If you don’t have lottery picks, you have to have draft picks. That’s an absolute fact, and I’m sure if coach Pittman and I were trading chairs right now and he sat here, he would probably say in SEC football you have to have draft picks. You also have to have some freshmen, for sure.”
Numerical calculations aside, Musselman has continued to knock on the portal often. While having elite young talent clearly makes a difference, having some experienced and veteran players is also a key ingredient to winning at a high level in college basketball. That said, Musselman may have a couple of transfers to add to the SEC’s preliminary list in the future if they continue to build toward their high ceilings.
At least the boys like it ricky advice Y trevon brazil They have real professional potential. Can Council become a consistent 3-point shooter to complement her elite athleticism, burst and his astute playmaking ability? If so, he has a real chance. Scouts are already drooling over Brazile, who at 6-10 with a 7-4 wingspan, has already shown the ability to play well above the rim at both ends and space the floor with his jump shot. As he adds strength, consistency and confidence in handling him, a first-round qualification is a realistic possibility.
Arkansas would be a nightmare for opponents if they were left without a five-man lineup with Smith, Black, Council, Walsh and Brazile, and that’s only scratching the surface of the depth and versatility available throughout the roster. Of course, talent alone doesn’t guarantee success, but it does lay a promising foundation for what’s shaping up to be an exciting season of Razorback basketball.