Little-used Jenkins decides to transfer

Arkansas' Lorenzo Jenkins goes through practice Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, at the team's practice facility in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Lorenzo Jenkins, the last remnant of Arkansas' freshman basketball signing class for the 2015-2016 season, is headed out the door, too.

Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson announced Monday that Jenkins, a 6-5 forward from Naples, Fla., won't be back with the Razorbacks.

"After meeting with Lorenzo Jenkins, we have mutually decided it is in the best interest of his future to pursue another institution to continue his career," Anderson said in a statement released by Arkansas' athletic department. "We wish him nothing but the best moving forward."

Jenkins was one of three freshmen to sign with the Razorbacks for last season's team, along with guard Jimmy Whitt and forward Ted Kapita.

Whitt is transferring, Anderson announced March 30, and Kapita never made it to campus after failing to gain his academic eligibility.

While Whitt and Kapita were ranked among the top 80 high school players nationally when they signed with Arkansas in the fall of 2014, Jenkins was an unheralded addition to the team when he signed last August.

Arkansas was down to nine available scholarship players before Jenkins' signing, and he was expected to help provide depth off the bench.

Jenkins, however, played in only one game. He got in for the final seven minutes of the Razorbacks' 117-78 victory over Northwestern (La.) State on Dec. 1. In that game, he was 1 of 4 from the field -- hitting a three-point basket -- and had 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

Guard Anton Beard was reinstated to the team in late November after being suspended in July for disciplinary reasons. He missed the first nine games as part of his discipline, then played in the final 23.

Beard's return, combined with the Razorbacks' lack of injuries, meant there was no room in the playing rotation for Jenkins.

Whitt averaged 6.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 17.2 minutes and played in every game for the Razorbacks. He started the first 10 games, then played off the bench the rest of the season.

After averaging 11.0 points in his first six games, Whitt averaged 4.9 the final 26 games.

The transfers of Whitt and Jenkins give Arkansas two scholarships in addition to the ones being taken by the returning players and newcomers if Anderson chooses to sign more players this spring.

Razorbacks on scholarship with remaining eligibility are Beard, Moses Kingsley, Dusty Hannahs, Manny Watkins and Trey Thompson.

Dustin Thomas, a transfer from Colorado, will be eligible to play after redshirting last season.

Jaylen Barford, Daryl Macon, Arlando Cook and Adrio Bailey signed with Arkansas last fall. C.J. Jones is committed to sign with the Razorbacks this spring.

Jenkins is the fourth player Anderson signed at Arkansas to transfer while still a member of the team along with Whitt and guards Dee Wagner and Nick Babb.

Wagner transferred to Angelo State after averaging 1.1 points in eight games as a sophomore during the 2013-2014 season. Babb transferred to Iowa State after averaging 0.7 points in 26 games as a freshman during the 2014-2015 season.

Forward Jacorey Williams, who played for the Razorbacks for three seasons, transferred to Middle Tennessee State last summer after being dismissed from the team by Anderson for disciplinary reasons.

Arkansas players who signed with Anderson's predecessor, John Pelphrey, but transferred after playing for Anderson were Hunter Mickelson (Kansas), Devonta Abron (TCU) and Julysses Nobles (Jackson State).

Sports on 04/12/2016