FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas basketball program should learn later this week if it is getting back into the Bluff City basketball business.
Memphis Wooddale senior guard Johnathan Lawson (6-7, 170 pounds), a top 50 player nationally, according to ESPN, is slated to announce his college decision between Arkansas, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Oregon, Alabama, and Iowa State on Wednesday.
“That’s still the plan, to do it on the seventh,” said Keelon Lawson, Jonathan’s father and high school coach whose birthday is Wednesday. “Johnathan has a lot of great options. They are all great schools.”
Lawson averaged 26.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6 assists per game as a junior and had his 26-3 team poised to repeat as Class AA state champions before the covid-19 outbreak canceled the state tournament.
The 4-star guard has made unofficial visits to Arkansas, Memphis, Oregon and Vanderbilt, but not been able to make it to Alabama or Iowa State.
Lawson is the reigning Class AA Mr. Basketball in Tennessee and could enroll at a college in January 2021 if the Shelby County School District cancels the high school basketball season, as it has football due to covid-19 concerns.
“That is what I am trying to work on now,” Keelon Lawson said. “I am looking for a virtual class that he could have done by January if they don’t let us play. We are looking at some of the schools that are recruiting him, seeing who has scholarships available and would take him early.
“I know they have canceled our football season and they may do the same for basketball. I am trying to get prepared in case we do get to play and also if we don’t.”
Arkansas has an open scholarship after Isaiah Joe put his name in the NBA Draft pool. Keelon Lawson praises the way Razorback head coach Eric Musselman and his staff have pursued his son.
“I know that he (Mussselman) has done a great job from the time he was at Nevada and even last year with some of the things that he has accomplished at Arkansas in his first year there,” Keelon Lawson said.
“One thing I know about about Coach Musselman is that he likes big guards. So that is something that is intriguing to us, his style of play and his mentality of coaching college, but doing it like a NBA team.
“He makes them play hard, but also gives them freedom while also holding you accountable.”
Johnathan Lawson is the youngest of four basketball playing brothers. KJ and Dedric Lawson played for both Memphis and Kansas, and Chandler is a sophomore at Oregon.
“They are so much different, but there are some things alike,” Keelon Lawson said. “I think he has a little mix of all of his brothers in his game. It’s kind of some things that have been handed down.”
Keelon Lawson played high school basketball at Memphis Hamilton along with former Razorback star Todd Day, one of several Memphis standouts who shined for Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Other notable Razorbacks from Memphis included Ron Huery, Corey Beck, Dwight Stewart, Elmer Martin, Clyde Fletcher and Arlyn Bowers. Jim Counce and Anthlon Bell are other notable Memphis residents who became Razorbacks.
“That pipeline from Memphis to Arkansas back in the day was a great pipeline,” Keelon Lawson said. “Arkansas plays in one of the best conferences and that’s important, especially with kids these days that are trying to get developed and play at the next level.
“Playing on that platform give you that exposure as long as you do what you are supposed to do and that’s work hard. Arkansas has had that platform over the years.”
Day and Keelon Lawson have spoken about Johnathan Lawson’s interest in Arkansas.
“I played with Todd and we have talked about the fit at Arkansas, did he think that would be a good fit for Johnathan? He thinks it could," Keelon Lawson said. "The Memphis pipeline used to be there back in the day and hopefully they can get it back with Coach Musselman.”
Johnathan Lawson cut his list to five on Aug. 17, but allowed Memphis back into the mix after that.
“Memphis came back into the race a couple of weeks ago so one of the other schools has probably fallen off,” Keelon Lawson said.
Keelon Lawson believes his son is an all-around guard and not just a scorer.
“Johnathan is very unselfish when he is playing,” Keelon Lawson said. “He is more of a true guard than just a scorer. His strong point is his vision on the court. He has got to work on getting stronger so that will help him with his defensive end.”
He also admires his son’s will to win.
“He hates to lose and will try to do anything to keep that from happening. I think a lot of coaches like that because it is easier to turn a guy down than it is to turn them up," Keelon Lawson said. "When you get a kid that refuses to lose, hates to lose and will do anything to win, it is more pleasing to a coach that doesn’t care.”