Arkansas Basketball: Can Daniel Gafford lead the young Razorbacks back to the Big Dance?

Playing in the SEC is hard enough, doing it with such a young roster makes it harder. How does Arkansas  Basketball ready itself for 2018-19?

The Arkansas Razorbacks have made three of the last four NCAA Tournaments, but the next one might be more of a challenge to get back to. With one of the youngest rosters in college hoops, the Razorbacks will have to gel while playing in the toughest conference in the country in order to get back.

In 2015 and 2017, coach Mike Anderson’s squad won their first-round games only to fall to North Carolina both years. Last season they were upset in their first game by Butler.

This season when the team takes the floor for practice this fall they may need to wear nametags. Of the 10 players who saw action in at least 26 games last season, a mere two return, sophomore forward Daniel Gafford and junior Adrio Bailey. Only two other players who appeared in games return, sophomore guard Gabe Osabuohien and walk-on guard Jonathan Holmes, neither of whom have much on-court experience. Osabuohien averaged just 6.8 minutes per game in his first season and Holmes has appeared in just 17 games over his first two seasons.

The roster could’ve been even more depleted as Gafford flirted with the NBA waters amid talk of him being a potential first-round draft pick. The 6-11 forward and Arkansas native decided to return to Fayetteville to lead this young group of Hogs.

“It was a tough decision, I had to talk to my mom and dad a lot. It’s going to lead to me being more mature, getting more experience on leading the team.” Gafford said about his decision to return to Arkansas.