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National consensus on Arkansas continues to emerge
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- National consensus on Arkansas continues to emerge
National consensus on Arkansas continues to emerge
(Mark Rebilas, Imagn Images)
If you have followed what we and other national outlets have been saying and writing about Arkansas basketball going into the new season , a few themes and realities have remained constant. One is that Jordan Smith is the foundation of the roster. Two is that Billy Richmond's veteran leadership is really important for the purpose of knitting the team together. Three is that Arkansas should have a much better defense than it did last season. Four is that Arkansas has accumulated more depth and balance than it had last season. Our fifth main talking point has been that Miikka Muurinen is the man of mystery and the person who might be the ultimate X-factor. The Athletic seems to agree .
"The swing piece for this group, who could determine if Arkansas is a title contender or somewhere in the 10-20 range, is Finnish big man Miikka Muurinen. Muurinen did not play this summer because he has not yet been cleared by the NCAA, and considering the NCAA seems to be cracking down on international pros, the availability of any international pro is up in the air. Muurinen played last season in the Adriatic League and EuroLeague, so who knows how the NCAA will view him. But if he is allowed to play, he is another big-time athlete who fits the blueprint.
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"If Muurinen is not eligible, Furman transfer Cooper Bowser is a solid backup plan and fit well with the starting group. Bowser has good size and athleticism and brings some experience to a very inexperienced frontline. Calipari also has some young options off the bench in freshmen Caleb Ourigou (6-11), Maper Maker (7-0) and Ilia Frolov (7-0). He can afford not to have Muurinen, but the ceiling is higher if Muurinen is eligible and follows Smith's lead of playing with a high motor."
The general consensus has been that Muurinen's eligibility situation will be cleared up and resolved positively in time for the season. While we wait for that matter to be dealt with, it remains that since Muurinen was not able to play in The Bahamas, what we all saw with Arkansas in that exhibition tour was not even the full measure of what the Razorbacks can become. Muurinen being added to the Arkansas roster which was on display in early August very obviously raises the ceiling for the Hogs and can give them that much more depth, versatility, and potency for the season to come.
