Arkansas coach Eric Musselman has made it crystal clear since the Elite Eight loss to Duke as to what he felt the Razorbacks’ needs were ahead of the 2022-23 season.
On Wednesday, Arizona State forward Jalen Graham became Arkansas’ latest addition from the NCAA transfer portal. An All-Pac-12 selection last season, Graham is the program’s fourth spring commitment.
He joins Trevon Brazile of Missouri, and Makhi and Mahkel Mitchell of Rhode Island.
Each of them stand 6-9 or taller. Size, versatility on both ends, shot blocking and ability to run the floor describe their games and skillsets.
In three seasons with the Sun Devils, Graham averaged 7 points, 4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over 78 games, including 43 starts. In 2021-22, he put together his best offensive season with career highs of 9.9 points and 1.7 assists
Graham was Arizona State’s sixth-leading scorer for the season, but he elevated his play in conference games. He averaged 12 points — second on the team — on 52% shooting and 5.1 rebounds, which tied for the team lead.
“Look at his trajectory and you’ll see why there is some enthusiasm for him,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie and CJ Moore wrote. “He was the (Sun Devils’) best player during their best run this year, which is why he was rewarded second-team All-Pac-12 honors by the coaches. He’s not a particularly efficient finisher at the rim, and he doesn’t shoot well from the perimeter.
“He gets most of his offense on post-ups and out of weird little push shots, floaters and turnaround mini-hooks with either hand. He’s a tough-shot specialist who can get you a reasonably efficient look on the block pretty regularly.”
Against Pac-12 competition, the Phoenix native scored in double figures 13 times with highs of 19 points in a loss to USC and 18 vs. Oregon. He twice scored 16 points against Stanford and added 16 vs. No. 3 UCLA (triple-overtime win) and Colorado.
According to KenPom, he was named the MVP of two Sun Devils games last season — the team’s second win over the Ducks and when he hit a game-winner to take down Utah on Jan. 17.
Graham averaged better than 10 points and roughly 5 rebounds per game in his Arizona State career against Stanford and Utah, and put up 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 6 games vs. Arizona, which is considered one of the top programs in the league.
Similar to the Mitchell twins, Graham is not a perimeter threat. He finished last season 1 of 18 beyond the arc. But he led the Sun Devils with 70 two-point jumpers on 149 attempts (47%), according to Hoop Math statistics.
Of those scores, 36 were unassisted, which speaks to his ability to generate his own shot and do so fairly effectively. Graham’s 53 buckets at the rim were second most on the team, as well.
Continuing that trend, Hoop Math lists Graham as Arizona State’s No. 2 player in terms of offensive rebound putbacks (16). Perhaps he can help fill the void in that regard left by Au’Diese Toney, who gifted Arkansas easy scores and countless extra possessions in 2021-22.
Toney had 30 such scores and Jaylin Williams 16.
“He’s got great footwork and touch,” Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley told Arizona Sports in February. “And he’s starting to put it together, so I’m just excited to see him to continue to develop.
“We’re a different team if he is giving us that production on offense.”
In Pac-12 play, Graham finished 23rd in both offensive and defensive rebound percentage, according to KenPom. The forward had a stretch last season in which he grabbed multiple offensive boards in nine consecutive games and 10 of 11 outings.
Twelve times a season ago he recorded four or more defensive rebounds.
Defensively, Graham posted the No. 64 block rate in the country (7.2%) in his second season with the Sun Devils. Four blocks against California, three vs. Villanova and five in two games against Arizona were highlights.
Graham rejected four more shots — a season high — against Cal last season, when he was No. 9 in conference games with a block rate of 4%.
Glancing at the forward’s assists totals, he appears to be a capable passer at 6-9. In the upset win over the Bruins, he totaled a career-high six assists. And in seven other games Graham handed out three-plus assists.