Tramon Mark has yet to play his first real game in an Arkansas uniform, but his reputation is such that the country already thinks of him as one of the best in the land.
Mark, a transfer from Houston in the offseason, was one of 20 players in college basketball named to Jerry West Award watchlist for 2024. The Jerry West Award is given to the best shooting guard in the sport.
Marcus Sasser, who was Marks’ backcourt mate with the Cougars last year, won the award in 2023.
Mark averaged 10.1 points per game playing next to Sasser at Houston as a sophomore, though he has been a staple since his freshman year when helped the Cougars to the Final Four. Mark also averaged 4.9 rebounds from his guard spot and ranked just outside the top 10 in the American Athletic Conference in free-throw percentage at 77.6%.
His new team, Arkansas, will play six of the other 19 players on the watchlist this season: Duke’s Jeremy Roach, Florida’s Riley Kugel, Houston’s LJ Cryer, Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves, Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer and Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi.
Arkansas opens its exhibition season Saturday at home against the Boilermakers.