Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman did a little double-duty in Oklahoma last weekend. Not only did he coach the Razorbacks on Saturday, but he was able to travel south to visit with some former players Friday night.
After Friday’s team practice in Tulsa, Musselman drove the hour and a half down Interstate 44 to Oklahoma City, where he got to watch a trio of former Hogs compete in an NBA game.
Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Joe were on the court for the Thunder, who faced Moses Moody and the Golden State Warriors.
He got to spend time with all three players prior to the game, in which Oklahoma City won 138-136 in overtime.
“The timing worked out perfectly,” Musselman said. “I rushed over there and got to see all three of our guys — Moses, Jaylen and Isaiah — and got to talk to them pregame.”
He praised both franchises for specifically allotting the players time to spend with their former coach.
“To show you how professional those two organizations are, all three of those guys had their shooting slots at 5 o’clock, and that probably wasn’t by coincidence,” he said. “Just unbelievable classy organizations.”
Williams actually returned the favor by driving up the following day to watch the Razorbacks play Oklahoma, a game in which they lost, 79-70.
“It was great to see those guys, and just so proud, like all of us are, of all three of them,” Musselman said. “The thing with those guys is that they are the ultimate pros. They are going to be on rosters, because of their attitude and how good they are, chemistry-wise.”
Joe, in his fourth NBA season, is averaging 10 points per game and shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the three-point line, making 56 of 127 threes on the season. Williams, in his second NBA season, is averaging 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, and currently leads the NBA in charges taken per 36 minutes played.
Moody, a third-year pro, is averaging 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, playing in a loaded lineup that includes the likes of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Musselman is proud of how all three players have made their way to the professional ranks, but also with how they have handled themselves, professionally. He said all three are finding their niche for long, prosperous careers in the league.
“Oklahoma City has their stars, but Isaiah has figured out how to get open, and how to be one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA,” Musselman said. “But he has also figured out, ‘Hey, I’ve got to be a great locker room guy.’ ‘I’ve got to be a no-maintenance guy, that shows up on time and gets my reps up.”
“Jaylin Williams has figured out, ‘Hey, I’ve got to be a great ball mover, I’ve got to plug up holes, defensively, and I’ve got to have high energy.”
Musselman acknowledged that Moody’s situation is a bit different with the caliber of team he is on.
“Moses is in a situation where he will go games without playing, then all of a sudden he gets in the game and produces when he gets his minutes,” Musselman said. “He’s in a different situation, because he got drafted on a team that is playing for championships.
“But those three guys are going to have long careers. And taking nothing away from their talent, but they are also great people, and are great professionals. They really understand that it’s a lot more than just making a basket. It’s doing the little things on defense, it’s being a great teammate, it’s standing up and cheering for your team when you are not on the floor. All those things help your longevity in your pro career.”
The coach also praised four more former Hogs who are now making their way in the professional ranks.
Ricky Council IV and Jordan Walsh are both rookies, who are scorching it in the G-League. Council, who is with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way contract with the Delaware Blue Coats, is fifth in the G-League in scoring, averaging 24.7 points per game. Walsh, who has bounced between the Boston Celtics and their G-League team, is averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Maine Celtics.
“It’s really cool that Anthony Black is starting, and getting a lot of minutes for the Magic in Orlando,” Musselman said. “Then you’ve got two guys in their rookie year in the G-League, both playing great basketball. They are putting up numbers, they’re getting better and getting a lot of reps. And that’s important for a rookie, is to get the reps.”
He also alluded to the progress that another former Razorback, Stanley Umude, is having in the Detroit Pistons organization. Umude has also split time between the Pistons and their G-League team, the Motor City Cruise. His break-out NBA performance came on Nov. 20, when he tallied 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot in a 142-113 loss to the Raptors.
“Stan has been putting up great numbers with the Pistons,” Musselman said. “But then he got sent down to the G-League where he is putting up great numbers. So he is getting great reps when he is not getting run with the Pistons.”
