NCAA Basketball: 5 recent hires that has had Deion Sanders-level hype

Eric Musselman – Arkansas Razorbacks

I’ve talked so far about a pair of notable assistants and two high-profile alums getting their shots. But Coach Musselman was some that original came from the mid-major ranks as the head coach of Nevada. He used the transfer portal before it was ever even a thing, giving the Wolf Pack talented veteran rosters that were good enough to make the NCAA Tournament.

So when he accepted the job at Arkansas, it was very interesting to see how it would go. It’s a job that had a good history and plenty of resources but the SEC, led by John Calipari and Kentucky, is tough from top to bottom. Yet that hasn’t fazed the former Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year, leading the team to 20+ wins in all four years, including back-to-back Elite 8 appearances in 2021 and 2022.

The Razorbacks have become one of the most feared teams in NCAA Basketball under Musselman. Not only due to the various impact transfers that have arrived but now, he’s landing five-star talents. He already had three last season alone, including guards Nick Smith and Anthony Black. And this upcoming roster is good enough to be ranked in the top-10 in the polls this season.

Musselman certainly had the hype with him when he took the job but now he’s viewed as one of the best in all of NCAA Basketball. And now, the hype is through the roof for both he and the Razorbacks going forward. If Calipari ever leaves Kentucky, could this be the new face of the SEC?