Arkansas sophomore trevon brazil has been trending on social media all summer thanks to multiple clips posted of the 6-10 forward splashing 3-pointers and using his length and athleticism to block shots and sink dunks. It’s no surprise that the Springfield, Mo., native is quickly establishing a key role for the Razorbacks.
Brazile came to the gate after completing his freshman season at Missouri, where he averaged 6.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game on 53.4% shooting from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc for the Tigers in 23 starts. He stepped up down the stretch, increasing his production to 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the last five games of the year.
Musselman, who openly praised Brazile before Arkansas’ matchups with Missouri last season, wasted no time prioritizing him on the transfer market when he became available on March 22. Indeed, the Hogs saw their season come to an end in the Elite Eight on March 26 and Brazile was committed in 72 hours.
Musselman clearly saw something he liked in Brazile, and now that he’s had him on campus for eight weeks of summer training, he sees a versatile weapon that he thinks could be one of the best forwards in college basketball.
“Brazil at No. 4 should be one of the best 4 stages in the country,” Musselman said. “Brazil is a really, really unique player. He’s one of our best shooters. He’s really good on the perimeter. Probably his position at the next level is small forward. We’ll play him mainly at 4 because we have 4 centers. But he’ll play a little center, probably very early even in this four-game European tour when we try to play small ball.
On a team that has only two returnees from last season, the importance of adding a piece with SEC experience cannot be underestimated. Brazile took a close look at Arkansas’ style of play twice last year and sees himself settling in and fitting in well with the cast around him in Fayetteville as he looks to step up his development.
“I’m looking forward to coming in, I definitely feel like I’m more confident defensively and offensively,” Brazile said. “The coaching staff has done a good job of putting me in the right places and pushing me to perfection.
“With the type of team that we have, we like to go out into the space and run on the open court. Being long and versatile, that’s what I like to do: go out on the open court and run. So just being with other guys that they know how to play and like to play at a fast pace really helps.”
Brazile’s adjustment was on full display Wednesday when the media were invited to attend the second half of practice. The long, lanky forward converted consistently on rim runs, seemed comfortable stretching the floor and attacking closes, and used his length to be disruptive defensively, altering shots around the basket and pulling off steals and deflections in the open.
Expectations are different in Brazile’s new home. After contending to a 12-21 record in what was a lousy year at Missouri, he’s shaping up to be an important piece of the puzzle for an Arkansas team with Final Four aspirations. So far, the main difference he has noticed between his previous stop and the current environment is the constant energy that fills the building, filtering from the staff to the graduate assistants to the team.
“We have fewer water breaks. I’d say that’s probably the main thing,” Brazile joked. “We get water; we’re well hydrated. But I’d say it’s a little bit more, I wouldn’t say it’s more intense, but I feel like there’s a lot more engagement within the practice. We have what, eight or nine GA? We have them bringing energy, we have managers bringing energy, all the coaches bringing energy. The players bring it every day. It’s just a different vibe here.”
While Arkansas sees career potential in Brazile, it’s not lost on him that the system Musselman has put in place with the Razorback program is loaded with influences from his long coaching career in the NBA and the pro ranks. He even noticed some of the similarities while watching former Hogs. grumpy moses Y JD Notes in NBA Summer League action with Golden State.
“Oh, sure. I was watching summer league this year, I was watching the Warriors, and what they kept doing is what we’re doing in practice,” Brazile said. “It just kept coming up, the ball screens said ‘weak and wide’ and we do weak and wide. Coach Muss just does a great job of incorporating NBA-type drills into our practices.”
Arkansas is currently going through 10 full NCAA-allowed practices in preparation for a four-game exhibition tour abroad scheduled to take place in Spain and Italy from August 6-16. While the games don’t hold the win-loss record, they serve as an invaluable opportunity to build chemistry on and off the court, as well as test themselves against outside competition.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to open the 2022-23 regular season at home when they host North Dakota State from Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark., on Nov. 7.