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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The biggest piece Arkansas basketball needs to contend for a national championship this season is a big man. That’s been well documented as head coach John Calipari has gone through the roster-building process.
To the Hall of Famer’s credit, he’s brought in several viable options: Miikka Muurinen, Cooper Bowser and Maper Maker are all solid players who should contribute to the Razorbacks this season.
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But UA is still missing a knockout punch of a big man. A reinforcement may be on the way by way of Russia.
Former Furman Paladins forward Cooper Bowser (21) dribbles against the Seattle Redhawks during the second half at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Ilia Frolov, a 6’11, 225-pound center is reportedly to be putting the finishing touches on paperwork that would officially make him a Razorback in the near future. That’s welcome news for Calipari and the UA faithful.
The question that remains is whether or not Frolov is exactly what Arkansas needs at the 5 spot. He is a quintessential modern big man: he’s able to shoot from the foul line and beyond the arc while also possessing the ability to score in the paint and rebound the basketball.
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That’s what Arkansas’ last several big men have provided the Razorbacks. Trevon Brazile was a consistent scorer, rebounder and occasional SportsCenter top-10 guest star known for his dazzling dunks.
Little Rock native Connor Vanover was the talk of the town, mainly due to his 7-foot-5 frame, who could score the basketball. However, it became known that his biggest weakness was defense, becoming a liability on that end due to his slow reaction time and couldn’t scrap in the paint for his lack of beef.
Jaylin Williams was a beloved team player who took charges like no one else. He’s taken on that ame peskiness to Oklahoma City where he consistently ranks among the top-10 in that category.
But it’s been a while since Arkansas had what it appeared to have needed last season and this year: a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/frolov-may-not-exactly-razorbacks-150003430.html
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Publish date : 2026-06-16 15:00:00
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