SPRINGDALE — Nate Rakestraw wasted no time committing to Arkansas when he was offered a basketball scholarship over the summer.

He sure wasn’t going to put off making his commitment official.

Rakestraw, Springdale Har-Ber’s 6-5 shooting guard, signed with Arkansas on Wednesday, the first day of the early national signing period. He was the only player to sign with the Razorbacks, who had just two scholarships available.

“This wasn’t something I had to think about for a minute,” said Rakestraw, who signed with Arkansas in front of approximately 175 onlookers. “I knew as soon as I got the offer this is where I wanted to go. I couldn’t wait to sign. This has been a lifelong dream for me.”

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Rakestraw got his wish and fulfilled a need for Arkansas and Coach Stan Heath. Shooters have been a priority of the past two Razorbacks recruiting classes. Freshman guards Patrick Beverly and Stefan Welsh signed with the Razorbacks last year and could team with Rakestraw in future Arkansas backcourts.

“Nate Rakestraw is a Razorback and we’re excited to have him join our program,” Heath said. “He’s a good all-around player, but in my mind, he’s a shooting specialist. With the importance of three-point shooting and the difference it makes in a game, I really wanted to grab somebody that had his ability.”

Rakestraw averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists as a junior, helping Har-Ber to a 15-12 record and state tournament appearance. It wasn’t his high school performance that piqued the interest of colleges across the region and earned him a spot as high as honorable mention on Street & Smith’s High School All-America Team, though. A breakout summer landed Rakestraw, Scout. com’s 28 th-rated shooting guard, on the radar of a number of schools.

Rakestraw drew the attention of colleges including Tennessee, TCU, Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas-Little Rock and Missouri State. Arkansas State was the only school other than Arkansas to formally offer a scholarship to Rakestraw, who averaged 27 points per game playing with the Arkansas Hawks against AAU competition.

Rakestraw, 18, proved during the summer that he could score in a variety of ways. He made it a priority to develop his game off the dribble and become a more well-rounded scorer, something Wildcats Coach Eric Burnett believes his player accomplished.

“He’s there,” Burnett said. “Nate is playing with unreal confidence right now. He’s comfortable putting the ball on the floor. He’s added the all-around game. This year I look for him to be able to do a lot more things. He’s still improving.”

Further aiding Rakestraw’s development were the games he played in Little Rock’s tough Dunbar summer league. Rakestraw played on a team that also included Brandon Patterson and Mike Smith, a pair of former Ole Miss players transferring to UALR. Rakestraw played with and against current college players and NBA veterans like Joe Johnson and Corliss Williamson.

That competition toughened Rakestraw.

“I’m a lot stronger mentally because of that,” Rakestraw said. “I’m a lot more ready to attack. They would get right up on you, so you couldn’t be timid. That’s something I learned this summer. I’m more aggressive.”

Better, quicker competition also was good for Rakestraw, who must continue to develop quickness, especially on the defensive end. Rakestraw, who weighs 215 pounds, already has the sturdy frame needed to survive in college, but he must get quicker.

“Last year I concentrated more on defense and I think that really helped me,” Rakestraw said. “I did a lot of things that I think will help me in the long run and I need to keep doing that. I’ve got to get better defensively. I need to improve my foot speed. I’m working really hard to improve in those areas. That’s what I’ve got to do in order to succeed in college. I’ve got to keep getting better.”

Rakestraw’s upside is what led the Razorbacks to offer the guard a full scholarship. Originally, the Razorbacks offered him only a chance to walk on and earn a scholarship. That changed on June 12 when Arkansas offered a full scholarship. Rakestraw committed on the spot.

“He’s kind of a little bit under the radar screen, but this summer he was very impressive,” Heath said. “He had some impressive outings, some 30-point-plus games against good competition and played in the pro league down in Little Rock and did very well down there. I think he’s going to be a good fit to our program.”