Arkansas Basketball: Razorbacks add to frontcourt depth with Chandler Lawson
It’s another transfer pickup for Arkansas Basketball, this time in the frontcourt. What will Chandler Lawson add to the Razorbacks?
When Memphis wing Chandler Lawson entered the transfer portal a week ago, there were a number of power conference programs after him. He’s a 6’8 combo forward and former top-100 prospect, known for his versatility and athleticism in the frontcourt. He spent four years at both Memphis and Oregon and with the covid year available, looked to find one more team to call home in college,
It ended up not being a long recruitment, as Arkansas Basketball went after Lawson hard and eventually landed his commitment. This is a team that was able to rebound nicely after a pair of recent “misses” this offseason when it came to frontcourt targets. Five-star forward prospect Ron Holland picked the NBA G League Ignite team over them, while North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson reportedly picked Alabama over them, though that’s not official.
Arkansas seems to have moved on from Nelson either way, focusing on Lawson. He’s not going to make any top-tier transfer lists, as someone who has a career 4.2 ppg and 3.6 rpg and isn’t known for being a go-to offensive option. But that’s okay, as the Razorbacks already have plenty of offensive firepower, thanks to incoming transfers, El Ellis, Tramon Mark, and Khalif Battle.
What they don’t have are a lot of proven forwards. Only Cincinnati transfer Jeremiah Davenport can be classified as a true small forward, while Trevon Brazile, projected to be the top frontcourt player on the roster, is recovering from a previous season-ending injury. Lawson can play and even start at the four-spot without rushing Brazile back and can play the wing to provide for larger lineups in the SEC.
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Chandler Lawson might also not even be the last addition to the Razorbacks, as they’re also after former Kansas commit, Chris Johnson. He decides on Monday and Arkansas is one of his final three options. This team continues to build its roster and is making a case for being a preseason top-10 team for the 2023-24 campaign.