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Razorbacks may have moved on from player Arkansas fans coveted

Hogs hoop dream doesn't appear in cards for native son; may become enemy
Kent Smith|
Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Lamar Wilkerson (3) dribbles the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Lamar Wilkerson (3) dribbles the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — All indications are the Arkansas Razorbacks have probably moved on from a fan favorite in the transfer portal.

Sam Houston State sharp shooter Lamark Wilkerson, an Ashdown native, appears to have been told the dream of becoming a Razorback is over. The Hogs were recently removed from his list of teams he's looking to visit and it looks like odds are high Arkansas will find itself facing him instead next season.

While Wilkerson still is technically a possibility to Arkansas, his visit list that came out includes Indiana, Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss. Wilkerson was presumably waiting on a decision by Razorbacks guard DJ Wagner, but nothing has officially come down on that front and it may no longer be a factor either way.

The list of teams chasing Wilkerson originally included Duke, Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama. However, the Crimson Tide have since packed their roster with transfers, Duke appears to have moved on despite having just completed its season and there are indications Arkansas has zeroed in on its portal targets.

The biggest reason for all the buzz is because of Wilkerson's length and sharp-shooting ability.

He lists at 6-foot-5 and boasts a 44.5% three-point shooting average from this past season. Of course, each season there are those who have unusually high percentages because they didn't shoot very many shots.

That's not the case for Wilkerson. He is a high volume shooter from the outside. He hit 109-of-245 shots from beyond the arc this past season.

To put that in perspective, Arkansas only made 253 threes all season long, including the SEC and NCAA Tournament. Departing guard Johnell Davis led Arkansas in made threes with 57, almost half as many as Wilkerson.

Of course, all of this production is great, but Sam Houston State doesn't exactly play the most daunting schedule in America, so the question is whether Wilkerson can put up those kinds of numbers against the SEC.

While there were no SEC teams on the Bearkats' schedule this past season, he did put up 19 against Baylor, 18 against Indiana, and 15 against Pitt. In those games, his three-point shooting dropped off to a combined 9-of-25, mostly hindered by a 2-of-9 night against the Panthers.

Even with the off night, that's still four percentage points higher than Arkansas put up all season long.

The biggest positive to Wilkerson's game is how quickly he can set his feet and his ability to create his own spacing on the perimeter. The second his feet are under him, his form and balance take over, allowing Wilkerson to get off a smooth shot that almost looks made in a computer program.

The one area Calipari will have to bring out of him should the Razorbacks pivot in his recruiting is an aggressive nature when it comes to attacking the basket. It was perhaps the biggest surprise on his film.

Wilkerson had a big size advantage against mid-major opponents, but he rarely used it to bully smaller guards physically. At 206 pounds, he is solidly built, so moving defenders by charging hard at the basket or backing guards down inside in one-on-one situations should have almost been second nature.

Some of this is possibly a product of his confidence around the arc and his ability to use his length to shoot more freely there, but he won't have that advantage as often in the SEC. He will battle guards equal to his size.

Facing Karter Knox each day in practice will go a long way in showing he can't always rely on shooting over opponents at this level. If Calipari can get him going downhill with consistent body control, the step-back Wilkerson uses to create space for threes will continue to do so at this level.

However, if he doesn't develop a powerful drive to the hoop, that space will no longer be there in SEC play. There's a lot of upside should Arkansas renew its pursuit of him.

HOGS FEED:

• State of the Hogs: Calipari shares master plan for new roster

• SEC coach says chaoe might ensue should NIL legislature stall

• Most important position on field reason for Petrino's optimism

• Hogs' eldest receiver "Unc" possibly breaking into rotation?

• ESPN lists Hogs as possible favorite to win 2026 title

Published | Modified
Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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