FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The biggest piece Arkansas basketball needs to contend for a national championship this season is a big man. That’s been well documented as head coach John Calipari has gone through the roster-building process.
To the Hall of Famer’s credit, he’s brought in several viable options: Miikka Muurinen, Cooper Bowser and Maper Maker are all solid players who should contribute to the Razorbacks this season.
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But UA is still missing a knockout punch of a big man. A reinforcement may be on the way by way of Russia.
Former Furman Paladins forward Cooper Bowser (21) dribbles against the Seattle Redhawks during the second half at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Ilia Frolov, a 6’11, 225-pound center is reportedly to be putting the finishing touches on paperwork that would officially make him a Razorback in the near future. That’s welcome news for Calipari and the UA faithful.
The question that remains is whether or not Frolov is exactly what Arkansas needs at the 5 spot. He is a quintessential modern big man: he’s able to shoot from the foul line and beyond the arc while also possessing the ability to score in the paint and rebound the basketball.
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That’s what Arkansas’ last several big men have provided the Razorbacks. Trevon Brazile was a consistent scorer, rebounder and occasional SportsCenter top-10 guest star known for his dazzling dunks.
Little Rock native Connor Vanover was the talk of the town, mainly due to his 7-foot-5 frame, who could score the basketball. However, it became known that his biggest weakness was defense, becoming a liability on that end due to his slow reaction time and couldn’t scrap in the paint for his lack of beef.
Jaylin Williams was a beloved team player who took charges like no one else. He’s taken on that ame peskiness to Oklahoma City where he consistently ranks among the top-10 in that category.
But it’s been a while since Arkansas had what it appeared to have needed last season and this year: a beefier, dominant big man with the ability to defend down low and score at will near the basket.
As good as Brazile, Williams, Malique Ewin and Justin Smith, among others, were, no Razorback big man has truly been dominant since El Dorado native Daniel Gafford spent two years in Fayetteville swatting shots into the seats and throwing down rim-rocking dunks.
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He’s since been a mainstay in the NBA, now playing for the Dallas Mavericks after stints with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.
The problem for Arkansas last season wasn’t that it had a lack of talented big men. Brazile, Ewin and Nick Pringle were all capable players. But there was a noticeable lack of physicality and aggression that Gafford displayed which made him such a dominant and intimidating figure.
Whether or not Frolov can turn into that dominant big man for the Hogs remains to be seen. And while his potential addition to the roster is a welcome one and what many fans want to see, he may not be exactly what the Razorbacks need in order to take that next step forward and be a Final Four team.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Frolov May Not Be Exactly What Razorbacks Need, But Their Best Option at Center.
