And they were down to three.
Jalen Shelley, a Top-100 recruit who had signed a letter of intent to play for Arkansas basketball next season, asked on Saturday for a release from that letter so he can re-open his recruitment.
Eric Musselman, the coach who recruited him to Arkansas, left the Razorbacks program to become USC’s head basketball coach earlier in the week. Arkansas has yet to tab a replacement, though reports had the Hogs zeroing in on McNeese State coach Will Wade after Ole Miss’ Chris Beard stated his intention to stay with the Rebels and Kansas State offered coach Jerome Tang an extension.
Shelley, who played his basketball two hours from campus in Branson, Mo., chose Arkansas over Texas, LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and others. He is a four-star recruit who is ranked as the 59th best player in the Class of 2024, per 247Sports.
Shelley’s exit, if granted (which is likely), would leave Arkansas with three players on the roster for next season. Forward Trevon Brazile and wing Tramon Mark have not yet announced their intentions and Shelley’s classmate, Isaiah Elohim, has not chosen the same course of action as Shelley. Yet.
Arkansas is coming off a 16-17 season, its worst 2009-10 when John Pelphrey was coach.