Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Source: Chaney indicates transfer

- BOB HOLT

FAYETTEVIL­LE — The University of Arkansas basketball team is back at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarshi­ps.

Reggie Chaney, a 6-8 forward, is transferri­ng after two seasons at Arkansas, a source confirmed.

As of Monday night, Chaney’s name wasn’t officially in the transfer portal, but it can take a couple of days for the paperwork to become finalized.

Arkansas was at 14 scholarshi­ps for its returning and incoming players before Chaney’s decision to transfer.

Chaney’s departure comes a week after Justin Smith, a 6-7 forward, announced that he’s transferri­ng from Indiana to Arkansas.

Smith, who started 73 games for Indiana, is a senior graduate transfer who will have immediate eligibilit­y. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds last season.

The Razorbacks’ roster could change again depending on whether guard Isaiah Joe keeps his name in the

NBA Draft or withdraws it and returns to Arkansas for his junior season.

Joe, a 6-5 guard from Fort Smith who averaged 16.9 points last season, entered his name into the draft in April, but he hasn’t signed with an agent.

The NCAA announced last week that early entries have until either Aug. 3 or 10 days after the NBA scouting combine — whichever comes first — to withdraw from the draft and retain their eligibilit­y.

The draft will be held Oct. 15, according to multiple news reports, after being postponed from its original date of June 25 because of the coronaviru­s pandemic. No date has been announced for the reschedule­d combine, which originally was supposed to be held May 21-24.

Joe returned to the UA campus last week, his father Derrick confirmed, when Arkansas players were allowed to begin workouts.

Chaney averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 63 games at Arkansas, including nine starts.

After Chaney missed the first three games last season because of an unspecifie­d disciplina­ry reason, he averaged 14.6 minutes in 29 games, including seven starts. He shot 67.1% (49 of 73) from the field and 52.6% (20 of 38) on free throws.

Chaney’s playing time decreased late in the season when 6-8 Ethan Henderson — who will be a junior —moved ahead of him in the playing rotation and into the starting lineup.

Over the last seven games, Chaney averaged 6.6 minutes, though he did play 18 in his final game and had 4 points, 5

rebounds and 3 blocked shots when Arkansas beat Vanderbilt 86-73 in the SEC Tournament.

Chaney saw his averages take a slight drop from his freshman to sophomore seasons. He averaged 5.4 points and. 3.5 rebounds and 16.3 minutes in 34 games as a freshman. Over the final seven games last season he combined for only six points.

Chaney had career-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes last season in an 83-79 overtime loss at Missouri. He scored 14 points and hit 6 of 6 shots and 2 of 2 free throws in a 75-55 victory over Vanderbilt in Walton Arena last season.

As a freshman, Chaney had 14 points, 7 blocked shots and 5 rebounds in an 84-72 victory at Providence in the NIT.

Without Chaney, Arkansas has six players 6-7 or taller with Smith, Henderson, 6-9 senior graduate transfer Vance Jackson, 7-3 sophomore Connor Vanover, 6-9 junior Abayomi Iyiola and 6-9 freshman Jaylin Williams.

Chaney, who is from Tulsa, will have two seasons of eligibilit­y as his new college and must redshirt next season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules unless he seeks and is granted a waiver for immediate eligibilit­y. He was rated a 3-star recruit as a high school senior at Findlay Prep in Nevada.

Chaney is the second player to transfer from Arkansas since the end of the season along with guard Jalen Harris, who transferre­d to Georgetown, where he’ll have immediate eligibilit­y as a senior graduate.

Guard Mason Jones, The Associated Press co-SEC Player of the Year, has signed with an agent and is staying in the NBA Draft rather than return to Arkansas for his senior season.

 ?? (Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Beach) ?? Reggie Chaney, a 6-8 junior forward, is transferri­ng after two seasons at Arkansas, a source confirmed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday.
(Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Beach) Reggie Chaney, a 6-8 junior forward, is transferri­ng after two seasons at Arkansas, a source confirmed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday.

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