Musselman adds another from portal
FAYETTEVILLE -Arkansas’ Eric Musselman has landed another quality player from the transfer portal with the addition of Wichita State guard Ricky Council.
Council, 6-6, 204, played two years for the Shockers. On April 21 Council entered the transfer portal. He had previously declared for the 2022 NBA Draft on March 28, but kept his college eligibility.
On May 3, Council announced a top six of Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Kansas and Iowa State. At Durham (N.C.) Southern, Council was a 3-star recruit. He was at Arkansas last weekend on an official visit.
In 2021-22 with the Shockers, Council played in 28 games and averaged 26.6 minutes per outing. He averaged 12.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, shot 43.7 percent from field, 30.6 from deep and 84.9 at the free-throw line.
That followed a freshman season when he saw action in 21 games while averaging 15.6 minutes each game. Council averaged 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist, shot 42.1 percent from the field, 44.4 from behind the 3-point line and 63.6 at the charity stripe.
Council is the fifth transfer to join a talented recruiting class that includes six from the high school ranks, three 5-star recruits as well as a trio of 4-stars. The other transfers are Missouri’s Trevon Brazile, 6-9, 215; Arizona State’s Jalen Graham, 6-9, 205; and the Rhode Island pair of Makhel Mitchell, 6-9, 230, and Makhi Mitchell, 6-9, 225.
Arkansas is still awaiting final word on junior Jaylen Williams returning. He has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft without hiring an agent. He is one of 76 athletes invited to the NBA Draft Combine that will be May 18-20 in Chicago. If Williams were to return to Arkansas, then another player would have to leave since Council makes 13 players on scholarship now. At this point the two remaining players from last year’s squad are junior guard Davonte Davis and redshirt senior forward Kamani Johnson.
Robinson enters portal
FAYETTEVILLE -- Another University of Arkansas basketball player, Jaxson Robinson, has entered the transfer portal.
Robinson, 6-6, 185, was a sophomore guard for Eric Musselman’s Razorbacks this past season after transferring in from Texas A&M. Robinson signed with the Aggies over Arkansas and others out of Ada (Okla.) High School in the Class of 2020. Robinson was a 4-star recruit. He announced his decision on Twitter Thursday.
At Arkansas this season, Robinson played in 16 games with four starts. His four starts were Elon, at Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and at Texas A&M. He averaged 2.8 points per game while going 14 of 43 (.326) from 3-point range.
At Texas A&M in the 2020-21 season, Robinson saw action in 18 games drawing four starts. Recorded season high in rebounds with seven in 18 minutes of play at LSU. That performance earned his first career start versus Auburn, playing a season-high 19:32 and establishing a seasonhigh with six points on a pair of threes in the win.
At this time Arkansas is set to return two players from last year’s team. That includes junior guard Davonte Davis and redshirt senior forward Kamani Johnson. The staff is still awaiting a final decision from forward Jaylen Williams on if he will remain in the 2022 NBA Draft or return for his junior season.
Arkansas also recently hosted Wichita State transfer guard Ricky Council IV for an official visit. In 28 games this past season for the Shockers, Council averaged 12.0 points, 5.4 rebounds,
1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and shot 43.7 percent from the field as well as 30.6 from distance.