When Arkansas basketball coach Mike Anderson envisions forward Reggie Chaney, he sees a player similar to Bobby Portis, the former SEC Player of the Year now with the Chicago Bulls.
That excites Chaney (6-foot-8, 230 pounds), who is entering his second year at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Frisco (Texas) Liberty High School, located just outside of Dallas.
"I like the (SEC) and how Arkansas plans to utilize me," Chaney said. "They tell me that they want to use me as a stretch forward that plays both inside and outside, kind of like a position-less player.
"Being like Bobby Portis is exactly what they have been talking to me about. I really like that."
Chaney is scheduled to take an official visit to Arkansas this weekend along with Arlington (Texas) Grace Prep swingman Jordan Phillips (6-7, 190).
Arkansas assistant coach Scotty Thurman has been the Razorbacks' chief recruiter for Chaney, who is a four-star prospect and ranked the 30th-best power forward nationally by ESPN.
"He told me he wants me to come in and make an impact for Arkansas ... be a versatile forward and come in and play a lot of minutes," Chaney said of Thurman. "That sounds pretty good."
Chaney also is a fan of Anderson, who is entering his seventh season with the Razorbacks.
"He keeps it so real with me," Chaney said. "I love that about him."
Chaney is also scheduled to take visits to Texas A&M (Sept. 29-Oct. 1), Wichita State (Oct. 13-15) and TCU (Oct. 20-22). He will set up a fifth visit to either Texas, Oklahoma State or DePaul.
"I am just looking for a great atmosphere and also to be able to come in and play right away," Chaney said. "I hope to come in and either start or get big minutes.
"I'm also looking for a great coaching staff and a great relationship on and off the court with those coaches."
Chaney said he has had his eye on Arkansas for a while.
"They have had a lot of great players come through there and I have always loved how they have played," he said.
Chaney improved his stock while playing for the RM5 Elite AAU team this spring and summer, and showcased himself at the Nike Peach Jam while averaging 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
"The best parts of my game right now are probably my rebounding, my ability to score inside and being able to step outside," Chaney said. "I am still working on my shot and my ball-handling."
Chaney was the District 9-5A offensive player of the year as a freshman at Liberty and a first-team all-district selection as a sophomore. He also was an all-district tight end in football, but chose to concentrate on basketball before the move to Findlay Prep.
"I think it was just the best choice for me as far as getting better and working on my craft," Chaney said. "The competition wasn't as good at Liberty as it is here at Findlay Prep. We play a national schedule and that helps with my development.
Findlay has produced NBA players Tristan Thompson, Avery Bradley, Anthony Bennett and Cory Joseph.
"We made it to the semifinals of the Dick's (National Championship Tournament) and finished up 33-4 against a lot of really good teams," Chaney said. "This year, I am hoping that we can win a national championship."
Also on the Findlay roster this season are two names Arkansas fans should know: Former Baptist Prep standout Connor Vanover (7-3, 220) and former Memphis East star T.J. Moss (6-4, 170), who has an Arkansas offer. Vanover led Baptist Prep to the Class 4A state title last spring over Pea Ridge.
"(Vanover) is a pretty good player that is tall, skilled, especially to be so tall," Chaney said. "I think he will be a big help this year with rebounding.
"T.J. is a tall guard that can really shoot it and he can score a lot of different ways with the ball."
Sports on 09/14/2017