Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Arkansas' basketball team just returned from a trip to Italy where it not only improved as a team and won all its games, but also got to tour many historic places such as the Coliseum and Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Now it's back to work trying to prepare for the season for Mike Anderson and his staff.

Anderson has a team that is filled with underclassmen, but don't assume he won't continue to try and stockpile talent for the future. Arkansas currently has one commitment, Little Rock Hall five-star Bobby Portis, 6 foot 10, 225 pounds.

Portis helped lead the Arkansas Wings to an AAU national championship again in Orlando. Portis committed to Arkansas a year ago and has since seen his recruiting interest explode. However, Portis has stayed firm with the Razorbacks.

That is good news for Anderson because Arkansas needs all the long, tall players they can get.

“When you look at our team we have to continue to get size,” Anderson said. “Size that fits what we want to do and then of course the next player out there. We've got to get some impact guys to go along with the guys we have here, but size is the one of those things.”

Anderson said he hasn't told his staff to stop recruiting after the coaches have signed two or three prospects.

“I don't put a number on it,” Anderson said. “Obviously, I like basketball players. Recruiting never stops because a lot of things take place nowadays. A lot of variables out there. I always tell our guys we've got to continue to recruit. You never stop recruiting.”

Other big men Arkansas has made offers to and appear to be in the running are Huntington (W. Va.) Prep center Moses Kingsley, 6-9, 225; Memphis Southwind forward Johnathan Williams, 6-8, 190; Lee's Summitt (Mo.) North forward Tory Miller, 6-8, 215; Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict Prep forward Isaiah Watkins, 6-8, 205; and possibly Piney Woods (Miss.) Country Life center Dwight Cobbs, 6-9, 225.

Outside of post players, Arkansas is known to be in the running for Arlington (Texas) Grace Preparatory Academy forward Jordan Mickey, 6-8, 185, who is a lot like former Razorback Joe Johnson. Mickey, who took an unofficial visit to Arkansas this summer, has schools from all over the nation recruiting him.

Anderson promised when he came back to Arkansas he was going to work the Memphis area hard. Last year he signed Anthlon Bell from Memphis and in addition to Williams he's on some others this year. Dyer County (Tenn.) shooting guard Robert Hubbs, 6-4, 170, is looking at the Razorbacks. Memphis East small forward Nick King, 6-6, 210, is on Arkansas' list.

Most have speculated Arkansas would sign two big men and another who is the best player they can find, but as Anderson said he's not putting a number on it at this time. It's safe to assume though that Portis won't be the only new addition to Arkansas' lineup.