NBA Draft

NBA Draft: Boogie Fland Shines in Arkansas Debut Against Kansas

Five-star freshman Boogie Fland stuffs the stat sheet in exhibition match-up against No. 1 ranked Kansas

Jace Derryberry

Oct 25, 2024; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) leads a fast break in the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2024; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) leads a fast break in the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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In Arkansas’ 85-to-69 victory over Kansas in an exhibition matchup on Friday, Oct. 25, several Razorbacks made strong impressions. Among a wide variety of impactful performances, five-star freshman guard Boogie Fland stole the show with an elite two-way display that will surely draw attention ahead of the 2025 college season. Regarded as an offensive spark plug, if he can continue to disrupt on defense, he has a great chance to quickly climb up draft boards leading up to the 2025 NBA draft.

Let's break down Fland’s impressive debut and highlight the aspects of his game that make him one of the more intriguing guard prospects in the upcoming draft.

In his 35 minutes of action, Fland finished with 22 points, two rebounds, five assists and six steals. He is extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands and rarely seems uncomfortable when facing pressure. His pace of play, body control on pull-ups and creativity off the dribble were reminiscent of former Vanderbilt one-and-done Darius Garland. While this first look may not paint the full picture of what his freshman season has in store, he had a fantastic debut while competing against one of the better defensive programs in Kansas.

On offense, Fland played with much better patience than is typically seen in freshman guards. He attacked off-ball screens and consistently got to his spots in the midrange. While he attempted several fadeaways, he hit them regularly. This type of shot selection can be a concern due to his smaller 6-foot-2 frame, but he appeared comfortable taking them and knocked them down with an extremely soft touch.

Fland also recorded a game-high five assists, looking most effective while setting up plays off drives. He made efficient and quick reads to find open shooters, which should translate well to the NBA game. Most of his assists came from designed movements, but his ability to run the offense and excel within the Razorback system is promising for his long-term potential.

The final aspect of Fland’s game that stood out on offense was his aggressiveness. He drove the ball hard and consistently got to the rim. While he finished many of these drives with good touch in the lane, he also absorbed contact well, leading to an impressive seven free-throw attempts. His role will surely change throughout the season as he plays alongside standout guards like DJ Wagner and Johnell Davis, but this strong debut is very promising for what he could become as he progresses.

Fland surprised with just how disruptive he can be on defense, totaling six steals. Most of these came from his ability to jump passing lanes and use his excellent hand-eye coordination to poke the ball free. His steals resulted in easy fast-break opportunities that Arkansas rarely failed to convert at the rim. Fland was also able to draw several offensive fouls by moving his feet quickly to beat his man to their spots. When the intensity picks up in the regular season, he will need to continue showing this level of aggressiveness to make his impact felt and create easy points for Arkansas.

Boogie Fland looked extremely promising in his all-around impact, and while it was just an exhibition game, this debut looks about as good as it gets for a freshman. Most people assumed he would be able to score and help facilitate, but the level at which he did these things was very encouraging. As a somewhat smaller guard, his ability to disrupt passing lanes raises his potential as a defender exponentially. Regular season games could change just how effective he will be throughout this season, but this first look is very promising and has already made him a must-watch prospect before the Razorbacks’ season kicks off against Lipscomb on Nov. 6.

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Jace Derryberry
JACE DERRYBERRY

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