Jimmy Whitt, who began his playing career at Arkansas Basketball, is set to return to the Razorbacks as a grad-transfer following two successful seasons at SMU.
Arkansas Basketball fans, you remember Jimmy Whitt right? He was one of Mike Anderson’s heralded recruits in the 2015 class that many believed would become an All-SEC caliber guard and a perfect fit in the “Fastest 40” system. Whitt was rated as a 4-star recruit and a top-75 prospect overall by Rivals.
Whitt got off to a promising start in his freshman season at Arkansas, making 10 starts for the Razorbacks and showing flashes of the potential that he walked onto campus with. However, as the season progressed, Whitt’s minutes regressed and his inconsistent usage led him to make the decision to transfer out of Fayetteville.
He found a new home at SMU, where he has spent the past two seasons as a key contributor for the Mustangs. He chose to test the NBA Draft waters following his junior season before ultimately deciding to return for his final year of eligibility, albeit as a graduate transfer.
To the surprise, and shock, of most who follow Arkansas basketball, Whitt announced Monday afternoon that he would return to the Razorbacks and finish his college career right where he started it. Talk about coming full-circle.
It is very rare to see a player return to a school that they have already transferred out of once. In this case though, the original coaching staff has been vacated and Whitt clearly feels a connection with new Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman. Additionally, it stands to reason that there were parts of his year in Fayetteville that he enjoyed enough to make him want to come back.
Aside from the uniqueness of the situation, this is an interesting move from a sheer basketball standpoint for Arkansas and it will be interesting to see the role that Whitt plays in Musselman’s “pace and space” system.
That “system” relies heavily on two things: shooting three-pointers and getting to the free throw line. The problem for Whitt, and Arkansas, is that he shot an abysmal 14.3% from three (albeit on limited attempts) and only 56.8% from the charity stripe at SMU last season.
In addition to that, he will join a heavy back-court that includes the likes of Jaylen Harris, Desi Sills, Isaiah Joe, Mason Jones, and Isaiah Moss who are all expected to be major contributors to Arkansas’ success next season. This calls into question the overall fit and considering it puts Arkansas two scholarships over their limit, it has Razorback fans scratching their head and biting their nails in anticipation of who might be on their way out.
Even considering all these factors, there are definitely some things to like about this move for Arkansas. The addition of Whitt adds even more experience to one of the more inexperienced teams in the country. On local radio, Rivals reporter Nikki Chavanelle, who wrote for SMU and is now at Arkansas, described Whitt as being a good locker room guy that could bring some leadership to team. He is also already familiar with the campus and facilities, which should help speed up the transition for him.
If you get away from his three-point and free throw shooting percentages, there are some real positives to his numbers that should excite Arkansas fans. He has proven to be able to score consistently, averaging 12.3 points per game last season. This included scoring over 20 points on Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston who were all NCAA Tournament teams last season.
He shot 49% from the field which would make him one of the more efficient guards on the roster. This shows his ability to knock down mid-range jumpers and finish at the rim, and opportunities will be aplenty with shooters like Joe, Jones, and Moss spacing things out and opening driving lanes for him.
Whitt also snagged over six rebounds per game, which could provide a needed boost for an undersized team that has historically rebounded poorly. He is also a willing distributor, four assists per game, and is regarded as a tough on-ball defender.
All of these qualities add value and fill gaps for Musselman as he sets out to make a jump back towards the NCAA Tournament in his first year at Arkansas. His addition as a graduate transfer also guarantees another open scholarship for a loaded in-state 2020 class.
My advice to Arkansas fans who are critical or concerned by some of the factors surrounding this move, trust in Muss. He has a plan and a proven track record of winning with rosters heavy on transfers. If he is continuing to bring players in, he probably anticipates some additional defections from the current roster. Let’s wait until everything shakes out and evaluate the final product when the time comes.