FAYETTEVILLE — A month after Ethan Henderson announced he was transferring from the University of Arkansas to Texas A&M, the Razorbacks are getting Jaxson Robinson from the Aggies.
Robinson, a 6-7 guard who played in 14 of Texas A&M’s 18 games as a freshman last season and made four starts, has signed with Arkansas, it was announced Tuesday. He will be eligible to play next season as a sophomore.
“I don’t really know the kid, but I’m happy for him if he wants to be at A&M,” Robinson said when asked about he and Henderson swapping SEC teams. “I hope everything works out for him.”
Robinson said he felt comfortable transferring to Arkansas because Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman recruited him as a player at Ada (Okla.) High School.
Before Robinson reclassified and signed with Texas A&M after his junior year at Ada, he strongly considered Arkansas.
“At the end of the day, with this transfer portal stuff, it was hard picking one school,” said Robinson, who included Oregon and Penn State along with Arkansas among his final three transfer choices. “But I’ve been to Arkansas plenty of times.
“I know Coach Muss. I know his staff. I’m looking forward to getting to know the players. I just feel like it’s a great spot for me to be in.”
Robinson, who said he plans to arrive on the Arkansas campus on May 24 for the start of the first summer school session, was rated a 4-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals and averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a junior at Ada.
“We are extremely excited about Jaxson joining our program,” Musselman said in a news release. “Jaxson was high on our recruiting list while he was in high school and many Power 5 schools went after Jaxson once he entered the transfer portal.
“He has tremendous upside and potential. He has deep range and is a knockdown shooter.”
Robinson, who averaged 2.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 9.7 minutes last season, said there were no hard feelings with Texas A&M Coach Buzz Williams.
“We just both went about our business,” Robinson said. “It wasn’t going to work out, so I had to leave. I wish the best for the program there, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.”
Texas A&M finished 8-10 last season and had 10 games canceled, including nine because of covid-19 issues within the program.
“The pandemic hit us hard,” Robinson said. “I got sick, and then four or five other players did. It was all back to back to back.
“It hurt us. I felt like we were picking up some traction toward the end of the season, but we didn’t get the practice or the gym time that we really needed.
“But it’s all over now. I’m ready to get to Arkansas.”
Robinson is the first player to transfer to Arkansas from another SEC school since point guard Gary Ervin joined the Razorbacks from Mississippi State and started during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
Henderson and Robinson are among six players who have transferred within the SEC this offseason along with Desi Sills (Arkansas to Auburn), Xavier Pinson (Missouri to LSU), Justin Powell (Auburn to Tennessee) and Tye Fagan (Georgia to Ole Miss).
“Coach Muss has always believed in me, even after I didn’t pick Arkansas the first time,” Robinson said. “He was right back on the phone with me as soon as I hit the portal.”
Robinson is the fourth player to transfer to Arkansas since last season ended along with Au’Diese Toney (Pittsburgh), Chris Lykes (Miami) and Stanley Umude (South Dakota).
Other newcomers for Arkansas will be freshman signee Chances Moore and Kamani Johnson, a transfer from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who sat out last season.
The returnees include Davonte Davis, JD Notae, Jaylin Williams, Connor Vanover and Khalen Robinson.
Arkansas still has two scholarship spots open.
“It’s a really good roster,” Robinson said. “I feel like I can make a big impact when it comes to my shooting ability and being able to hopefully make plays.”
Arkansas and Texas A&M are scheduled to play twice each season, though last season the teams played just once — when the Razorbacks won 87-80 in Walton Arena — because the game in College Station, Texas, couldn’t be made up.
Robinson didn’t play in last season’s Arkansas-Texas A&M game.
“I’m excited and looking forward to playing A&M,” Robinson said. “I feel like it’s a little personal after the season I had. But it’ll be fun.”