FAYETTEVILLE — It didn't take former Arkansas basketball commit Reggie Perry long to find a new home. And it's in the same conference.
Perry (6-foot-10, 225 pounds), a five-star prospect per ESPN.com, announced Monday he had pledged to Mississippi State, where his father, Al, played college basketball.
He cited following in his father's footsteps as one of the main factors in his decision .
Perry, one of five Arkansas Hawks' 17-and-under teammates who was committed to Arkansas, de-committed from the Razorbacks on July 5th with his mom saying the decision was related to his father's health.
"Unfortunately, due to his father's health, he made the very tough decision to decommit from Arkansas this evening with Coach A," said Kimberli Perry, Reggie's mother. "This is a decision that he has been wrestling with for some time now. He is saddened by letting the Arkansas fans down, however (he) felt this was the best decision for himself and our family."
His father, Al Perry, played point guard for Mississippi State in 1974-1978 and led the SEC in assists in 1975 and 1976. He was an assistant coach for 18 years at Murray State, Indiana State, Niagara and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, among others.
The Razorbacks, who had the No. 1 recruiting class in the country with the inclusion of Perry, have 2018 commits from Fort Smith Northside guard Isaiah Joe (6-4, 170), Jonesboro guard Desi Sills (6-1, 170) and Little Rock Parkview forward Ethan Henderson (6-9, 190), as well as a 2019 pledge from Little Rock Christian point guard Justice Hill (5-11, 160).