Arkansas Basketball head coach Eric Musselman has struck again on the transfer wire, adding 7’3″ forward Connor Vanover (Cal) and 6’6″ wing Isaiah Moss (Iowa) to the Razorback program.
Arkansas Basketball head coach Eric Musselman have announced the addition of two key transfers, Connor Vanover and Isaiah Moss, to the Razorback basketball program. These moves serve as a big boost to a team that, aside from the notable departure of Daniel Gafford, returns all of their key contributors from last season’s 18-16 team that fell to Indiana in the second round of the NIT.
Connor Vanover is a very unique player and an intriguing pick-up for Arkansas. He chose the Razorbacks over Jerry Stackhouse and Vanderbilt. The Little Rock native, whose mother Robyn played basketball for the Hogs, will be a legacy player in Fayetteville. Standing at 7’3″, he will officially be the tallest player to have ever worn a Razorbacks jersey.
Vanover started roughly half of Cal’s games as a true freshman, averaging around 7 points and 3 rebounds per contest in 16 minute per game and finished the season extremely strong for the Golden Bears. His “per-40” averages suggest that if he can stay on the floor he is capable of being a solid contributor. Some of his highlights included an 18 point, 7 rebound performance in an upset win over Washington. He scored a career high 24 against Stanford, including connecting on five three-pointers.
Despite his lengthy stature, Vanover’s most attractive skill is likely his long-range shooting ability. He towers over most defenders and has a quick, smooth release. This makes him a very nice fit in Musselman’s “pace and space” offense that relies on three pointers and driving lanes. Rather than clogging the lane, Vanover will be able to spread the floor even further as a shooting threat and attack the offensive glass. His ability to be a threat from the outside will also clear room for talented forward Reggie Chaney to operate with room on the block.
Defensively, he brings much-needed size and length to a front-court that does not currently have anyone listed at over 6’8″. He will need to bulk-up and continue to work on his lateral movement, but he should be able to serve as a capable rim-protector and rebounder for the Razorbacks.
Vanover is currently a “sit one, play three” transfer, but due to the firing of Wyking Jones at Cal and this opportunity to return back home he will seek an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility.
Isaiah Moss joins Arkansas as a grad-transfer that will be eligible right away. He is a big recruiting win for Musselman, choosing to join the Hogs over Kansas, Oregon, and Arizona State. The 6’6″ wing figures to be a key contributor for the Razorbacks following an impressive three-year career at Iowa. He will be the only senior in the Arkansas back-court and one of few members on the roster with NCAA Tournament experience.
Moss was a full-time starter for the Hawkeyes and on average has been a double-figure scorer for the last two seasons. He brings good size and athleticism to the wing, and his 42.1% clip from beyond the arc ranked fourth in the BIG 10 last season. He also brings a toughness and physicality that was lacking for the Razorbacks at time next season. I expect his scoring output to increase in Musselman’s system where he is an ideal fit.
Moss joins a very intriguing wing trio that includes Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones. All three stand over 6’5″, and all three are very dangerous from beyond the arc. Combine them with the point guard duo of Jaylen Harris and Desi Sills and Arkansas boasts a back-court capable of holding their own with anyone in the SEC.
Vanover and Moss join 6’7″ UNC-Wilmington grad-transfer forward Jeantal Cylla as Musselman’s transfer additions since taking over the Arkansas program. It is clear to see that he is putting a heavy emphasis on shooting and positional versatility, which is creating some interesting possibilities from a lineup perspective. For example, a possible Joe/Jones/Moss/Cylla/Vanover lineup would feature a group all 6’5″ or taller and all threats from beyond the arc.
Arkansas does not currently have any more open scholarships, but are awaiting a resolution on the medical clearance of sophomore guard Khalil Garland who may need to take a medical hardship. That, coupled with the pending waiver for Vanover, will dictate if Musselman stays put or tries to reel in a transfer big man. Another thing to keep an eye on will be the possible reclassification of top-target Kyree Walker who announced earlier in the week that he plans to visit Arkansas this summer.
Regardless of any of those factors, Musselman and the Razorbacks are in a better spot than they were prior to his hiring and the new additions have put them in a position to compete right away in a loaded SEC.