Portal Madness: Does the SEC Run Through Arkansas?

Forecasting to next season for the Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas might be the team to beat in 2023 with a couple key guard additions.

While it is still very early in the portal process, too-early rankings are out and being adjusted. Preparing for and thinking about next season doesn't have a limit, and the transfer portal stops for no one. No one knows this better than Eric Musselman.

While Kentucky boasts the number one freshman class in the country and Tennessee could return more than anyone in the conference, the additions of Keyon Menifield Jr. and Tramon Mark momentarily make Arkansas the best team in the SEC heading into next season.

It was reported that Arkansas had contacted 84 players in the portal, proving that no one attacks it harder than Musselman and his staff. Mark should receive plenty of accolades in the preseason from various sites after his junior season at Houston.

Mark didn't have super great numbers and wasn't extremely efficient either, but he's a good two-way player that showed plenty of flashes on the offensive end. His season highlight came in the second round against an Auburn team that he'll get to play against next season, as he posted 26 points with a couple of Houston's key guards on the bench in foul trouble.

Menifield will likely be tasked with the starting point guard duties, although I expect real competition with him and freshman Layden Blocker. This is, of course, assuming Anthony Black turns pro which he is announcing next week.

In addition to the transfers and freshman, Arkansas should be pretty solid in the front court as they get Trevon Brazille back to go with Baye Fall. Brazille has All-American potential but missed most of the season with an ACL injury.

While Musselman's trophy case is empty in terms of SEC championships, Arkansas is a premiere program in college basketball. Their process is good, and even if it takes their transfers a little while to mesh, they should be considered the best team in the conference for the time being.

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