Mike Anderson and the Arkansas basketball program capped off presumably their worst day in history this week. Before we take a dive into what’s left and what there is to do, let’s recap the offseason for men’s basketball.
First, it started with the graduation of starters Rashad Madden and Alandise Harris. Although these two weren’t the stars of the program, they brought a lot of energy, poise and senior leadership to a young Arkansas squad.
Madden was a long-time starter who played out of position for much of his career, adjusting to the point guard role that Anderson was unable to fill in his four years with the program.
Harris was a two-year starter at Arkansas and at times a wrecking ball on the inside. Anderson was ready for the loss of these two starters as recruits Jimmy Whitt (PG) and Ted Kapita (PF) were set to join the team in 2015/16. Both freshmen were listed as top 100 prospects, according to ESPN and 247Sports.
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Next, the disaster began to strike when Anderson and the coaching staff learned sophomore forward Bobby Portis and junior guard Michael Qualls would be leaving for the NBA Draft after many friends and fans thought they’d be staying for another year. The news followed shortly after the announcement of guard Nick Babb’s transfer to Iowa State.
The decisions left Arkansas with two remaining scholarships to fill before the 2015/16 season. Anderson failed to grab any significant talent, but did find Kennesaw State transfer Willy Kouassi, who saw minimal playing time at center in his first three years. He’ll be a senior with the Razorbacks, but will be allowed to play immediately.
The somewhat unexciting news left Arkansas with one scholarship available even though they also signed a junior transfer from Colorado named Dustin Thomas. However, Thomas was not eligible to play immediately due to NCAA rules and regulations. The 6’8 forward would have to sit a year and wait for the 2016/17 season, still allowing Arkansas to sign yet another player.
Then, July rolled around with the anticipation of what Arkansas might look like in 2015/16. Arkansas was picked as low as 11th in the SEC in some recent predictions. This was before the Razorbacks encountered one of their worst days in program history.
Finally, there’s Wednesday, July 22nd. Arkansas fans learned three players, Anton Beard, Jacorey Williams and Dustin Thomas were arrested on forgery charges; a Class B felony charge. Anderson declined to comment to the media after the disaster, and more investigation will continue. The three players were suspended indefinitely.
Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) fights for possession with Arkansas Razorbacks forward Jacorey Williams (22) and Arkansas Razorbacks guard Anton Beard (31) during the first half of the SEC Conference championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports
Beard was set to become the team’s starting point guard alongside freshman sensation Jimmy Whitt. Williams was set to finally earn the starting forward position in his senior year and Thomas was sitting out the year due to transfer rules, but his suspension opened up yet another available scholarship for the 2016/17 season.
The bad news didn’t end as Anderson learned freshman Ted Kapita would be denied clearance by the NCAA to play the 2015/16 season with the Hogs. Kapita will spend a year in Ohio at the SPIRE Academy, where he’ll hope to return to the University of Arkansas.
After all the news, Arkansas sits here at the end of July with nine players on their roster and very limited starting experience.
When basketball season finally rolls around in November, we can only expect the preseason rankings to place us last in the SEC just when we thought Mike Anderson had turned the corner for Arkansas basketball relevance once again.
What’s the next step for Arkansas? Do we start asking students on campus to tryout? Do we grab football players and experiment with athletes similar to the Matt Jones’ and Brandon Mitchell’s of our program?
I’d expect Mike Anderson to answer some questions within the next few weeks, but for now this might be our only answer. It’s probably time to cut him some slack and not worry too much right away. It’s unfortunate news, but there’s really nothing the coaching staff could have prepared for in one season.
Also, what will this do for recruiting in the next few seasons? If Beard and Thomas fail to return to the team next season, this leaves Arkansas with nine scholarships, yes nine spots available for the 2016/17 season. There is a small dose of good news as the Hogs already have one commitment from junior college All-American Daryl Macon. The Razorbacks have also extended some offers to other players for multiple seasons in the future.
Will this effect the recruitment of sensation Malik Monk of Bentonville High School? I’m afraid so! I’m hoping I’m wrong, but with the continued recruitment from John Calipari, I would assume Monk is all but gone and headed towards Lexington to play for Kentucky.
The trust is there for head coach Mike Anderson, but the coming months will certainly be an indication of where Arkansas basketball will be and whether or not Anderson’s job will be in jeopardy.