Opinion: Arkansas hoops likely to discover a rickety ride is better than a slow walk

Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman is a grasp recruiter. The fourth-year Head Hog is a continuing presence on social media, his 57 years on Earth belied by his tendency to have interaction in youthful slang and ways.

No cap.

That attraction is useful in profitable the hearts and minds of his gamers on the recruiting path and off the courtroom. On it, although, the method modifications. Teaching a crew full of 18- and 19-year-olds could be and is a problem. Musselman says as a lot nearly each time he has a press convention.

Arkansas’ expertise is nearly as excessive as any crew within the nation. Few groups can boast of three potential first-round NBD draft picks. Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh have as a lot potential as any participant the Razorbacks have rostered in historical past. The distinction, in fact, being they virtually actually gained’t faucet that potential whereas in Fayetteville.

The game shouldn’t be actually one for the outdated heads. Groups want elder statesmen to compete and lead, however they’re hardly ever the superstars, although that isn’t at all times true. Regardless, Arkansas has these guys, too.

5 gamers from the switch portal have landed in Fayetteville and can make their Razorbacks debut alongside the six freshman within the No. 2 recruiting class within the nation. They don’t have Smith/Black/Walsh expertise, however count on them to win a recreation or two, particularly early in SEC play, due to their expertise and guile.

Within the meantime, count on the dearth of expertise to indicate itself. Arkansas has simply two gamers coming back from final 12 months’s Elite Eight roster. Final 12 months’s crew had Devo Davis, JD Notae and Jaylin Williams all again from the beginning lineup, nevermind the entire roster. And final 12 months’s crew had its struggles, too. Even hidden throughout the nine-game profitable streak to start out the season had been the troubles.

These will likely be again. They might be completely different troubles, however troubles nonethless.

Arkansas isn’t going to be a great 3-point capturing crew. Arkansas goes to depend on mid-range jumpers greater than most. Arkansas will accordingly be streaky. Arkansas won’t be constant defensively. Arkansas will flip the ball over with regularity.

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This stuff would be the case by many of the 12 months, however they’ll be particularly prevalent throughout first semester.

Arkansas goes to be explosive. Arkansas goes to be well-coached. Arkansas goes to rebound. Arkansas goes to out-athlete virtually each crew it performs. Arkansas goes to go on loopy runs.

This stuff would be the case by many of the 12 months if not all of it, and on the finish of the season, come March, the Razorbacks needs to be trying to find one other Elite Eight season.

Record

Arkansas basketball: Selecting each recreation on the Razorbacks’ schedule

Story initially appeared on Razorbacks Wire