Moses Kingsley is the #1 Recruit for 2016-2017

With the incoming JUCO talent and the returning guard play, the Arkansas Razorbacks could be positioned for a postseason run in 2016, especially if All-SEC post Moses Kingsley comes back for his senior season. Kingsley averaged 15.9 points and 9.3 rebounds this season, making him one of the most improved overall players in the nation.

Mike Anderson doesn’t need anymore surprises when it comes to his roster. The buildup to the 2016 season was less than ideal for the Head Hog. First, you lose 2 All-SEC underclassmen in Bobby Portis and Michael Qualls to the professional ranks, as well as graduate out 2 of your other starters.

Then, the Razorback’s lone returning starter, Anton Beard, gets arrested for forgery with 2 other teammates. Beard stuck around and made it back onto the court after 4 months, but the other 2 players did not stay at Arkansas. Finally, Anderson’s small but talented recruiting class was cut short by 4 star power forward Ted Kapita being ineligible to play in college.

The last thing Arkansas needs after a 16-16 season is for another offseason full of question marks. With all the recruits having signed and been declared eligible, the only remaining “What If” is the fate of star post player Moses Kingsley. There have been a lot of rumors circulating that Kingsley is considering leaving for the professional leagues after this semester. I know what you’re thinking as you read that. “Moses hasn’t been on any NBA draft boards AT ALL so far! Why would he try and go to the NBA?”

That’s a fair question. But the rumors have begun to swirl nonetheless. If there is one thing that Arkansas does not have an abundance of, it is talented post players. And Moses Kingsley could potentially be a preseason All-SEC nominee at his power forward spot. He would come back with a lot of hype, and a lot of room to grow into a legit draft pick candidate.

But that would also mean one more year of school, and worrying about grades, and NOT getting paid to play ball. And while most people think that Kingsley would go undrafted due to his sub-par passing skills and his inconsistent defensive play, that doesn’t mean that a club in Europe or the NBA D-League wouldn’t jump at a guy with  7’2 wingspan that just basically averaged a double double in the SEC.

Kingsley has a legitimate upside, and you know that he knows that. Anderson will undoubtedly counter any professional leaning thoughts with a simple observation: Moses went from 3 points per game to 15 in one season. Imagine what Mike and the staff could have him doing next year! Post players traditionally develop slower than guards or forwards, so it’s not crazy to think that staying another year with a staff that has a proven track record of player development would be a good idea.

Quite frankly, Arkansas REALLY needs Moses Kingsley to come back for his senior year. Arlando Cook is a highly recruited JUCO PF, but he only averaged 11.8 points a game in junior college. Even if that holds in the SEC (which is doubtful) that still leaves a fair amount of pressure to be placed on Trey Thompson to step up offensively. There is a definite transition period for JUCO players when they come to D-1 basketball, particularly in the paint. Cook and Thompson could both turn into solid players, but Moses Kingsley is already a darn good player, and his skills will be the focal point of the Hogs half court offense.

With the other JUCO guards, plus Dusty Hannahs, Jimmy Whitt, and Anton Beard, the Razorbacks could have a really solid inside/outside game with Kingsley, Thompson, and Cook. That kind of balanced scoring is exactly the kind of team that Mike Anderson tries to put together, and it could be a team that could get back to the NCAA tournament with a solid ranking.

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But that all depends on if Kingsley sticks around. Without him, the Hogs will be left depending on unproven players to step up in a big way. That’s never a fun thing to do. The Razorbacks and Mike Anderson need Moses Kingsley for 2017.

And, in my opinion, Moses Kingsley needs another year of the Arkansas Razorbacks and Mike Anderson. But that doesn’t mean it will happen. The call of the full time salary is a powerful one, even with the potential of a higher starting pay rate if you wait.

More razorbacks: Hog Fan's Guide to the NCAA Tournament

Here’s hoping Mike can lock Kingsley down for one more season, and secure that super talented 2016 class.