Eric Musselman details plan to replace Jaylin Williams for Arkansas

Eric Mussleman has quite the task to replace multiple key players at Arkansas from a team that made the Elite Eight. One of the biggest spaces to fill in will be where sophomore forward Jaylin Williams played. After averaging 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Razorbacks, he elected to stay in the 2022 NBA Draft where the Oklahoma City Thunder picked him with the 34th pick.

The All-SEC First Team selection will be difficult to replace. However, Eric Musselman says he has a unique front court coming in that could replicate his production.

“We have a lot of guys that kind of offer different things. Jalen Graham is a player that is kind of a go to guy. He’s a scorer innately with his back to the basket. Makhi Mitchell is really, really explosive and really strong. Makhel (Mitchell) is a bigger, physical player inside. Obviously, Kamani (Johnson’s) a great offensive rebounder and a high free throw attempt player. (Trevon) Brazile is a really, really unique player,” said Musselman.

Four of the five players he named came to Arkansas from the transfer portal. The Mitchell twins transferred in from Rhode Island, Graham from Arizona State, and Brazile from SEC foe Missouri. Johnson was the only player who was in Fayetteville last year after he transferred in from Little Rock.

The production and energy Jaylin Williams brought to the floor was immeasurable at times. He may not have been the Hogs leading scorer but he was arguably their most valuable player. Between this quintet and some freshman with size, Eric Musselman will need them to fill in that gap in order to stave off a diminished front court this season. Their first chance to prove it to him will come when Arkansas leaves for their foreign trip to Spain later this week.