You know Arkansas has had trouble in the recent past on the interior with bigger, stronger players? Eric Musselman knows it, too.
So when the Razorbacks lost reserve center Makhel Mitchell to the transfer portal last week, the signal fires went up. Arkansas would need someone in the middle.
Makhi Mitchell has yet to announce whether he will spend a final season of college basketball with Arkansas or travel elsewhere. But even if he were to stay, Musselman’s reaching out to Syracuse center Jesse Edwards was huge, per a report, especially as the Hogs coach tends to focus a bit more on wings and guards.
Yes, the Mitchells and Jalen Graham, all play clearly in the frontcourt and arrived at Arkansas from the portal last year. But all three were slightly different players than Edwards, who, for two seasons with the Orange didn’t look like he was going to be much of a factor.
Arkansas has contacted Syracuse transfer Jesse Edwards, according to @247HSHoops.
6-foot-11, 215. Averaged 14.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.7 blocks on 59.2 fg% and 72.9 FT%.
— JC Hoops (@JacksonCollier) April 11, 2023
Then, this season, he averaged 14.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. With Jim Boeheim’s retirement and just one year of eligibility remaining, Edwards decided to seek greener pastures.
The fit with the Razorbacks seems to be clear. Arkansas needs a big body in the middle and could certainly use rebounding and rim protection. But the Hogs are hardly in that. Per the report, the Razorbacks are already competing with Georgia, LSU, Missouri and Vanderbilt from the SEC.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]