2024 recruit Landren Blocker making a name for himself
The Blocker name is familiar with Razorback fans, as Layden Blocker became the first commit of the 2023 class for Arkansas. Now, his younger brother, Landren Blocker, is one of the top in-state players in his class and holds interest from the Razorbacks, as well as many other high major programs.
As a member of the 2024 class, Blocker started being contacted directly by coaches on June 15. Of the schools that reached out to the 6-foot-5 guard, most of them were high majors. Arkansas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Creighton, Kansas State, TCU, Loyola-Chicago, Longwood, UCA and UAPB were the initial group of schools contacting the younger Blocker that first day.
“It was a cool experience getting to talk to coaches on my own," the Little Rock native said. "It helped me realize that I’m going in the right direction. I just have to keep working to get to where I want to be.”
When asked if any of those schools stood out, Blocker said they all did.
“It’s a good thing to hear from college coaches," Blocker said. "They all stood out and have something to offer. TCU offered me the first day coaches could contact. I thought that was pretty cool.”
Blocker currently holds seven scholarship offers from Creighton, Missouri, Ole Miss, TCU, Tulane, UAPB, and UCA.
Despite being fairly young as a rising junior, the Little Rock Christian Academy product has a mature demeanor about his recruitment.
“I’m looking for a school that will put me in a position to be successful and help the team win,” Blocker said.
When asked about hobbies outside of basketball, Blocker did not have much to say.
“I don’t really have any," Blocker said. "If I’m not hooping then I’m probably asleep.”
Such a mindset has helped him grow as a player and gain more attention on the recruiting trail.
Blocker plays for Bradley Beal Elite 16u on the EYBL Circuit, and is a regular starter for them. As part of one of the premiere youth programs in the country, a great deal of travel is required, but like everything else, it’s business as usual.
“I’m traveling a lot,” Blocker said. “From St. Louis from practice and then to different EYBL sessions. It can get rough and tiresome at times, but I’m pretty much used to it now.”
So far, Blocker said has enjoyed the summer sessions on the Circuit.
“It’s been a good experience playing with and against competition," Blocker said. "It makes me better. Playing against higher competition gives me a chance to see where I stand individually as a player.”
Older brother and Razorback commit Layden Blocker also plays in the Bradley Beal organization, just for the older age group. The two play in the same locations as a result, and Landren gets some words of wisdom from his big brother.
“He really just tells me to just work," Landren Blocker said. "Don’t complain about anything, no matter how hard it is.”
The nose-to-the-grindstone approach has worked well for the Blocker family as both brothers have the opportunity to play high major college basketball. Landren Blocker got to witness his brother go through the entire recruitment process firsthand.
“It was pretty crazy seeing Layden go through the recruitment process,” Landren Blocker said. “At the time I could only dream about what it felt like to get offers and calls from coaches.”
Although the Blocker family is from Arkansas, Landren Blocker did not have an opinion on where he wanted his brother to go — just that he was happy with wherever his big brother decided to go. That just so happened to be the home-state school. With the Razorbacks also showing interest in Landren, it opens the door for the brothers to play together in college.
“I’ve always wanted to play with my brother, but I wouldn’t go to a school and play with him if it’s not the best fit for me," Landren Blocker said. "It’s cool to think about me and him playing together, but we also believe Layden won’t be in college by the time I get to college.”
Landren Blocker won’t be in his brother’s shadow, though. The younger Blocker has a long, athletic frame and a different style of play than his older brother. On top of that, his talent speaks for itself and he is blazing his own path.
He said he believes he has his own perks that separates his game from his brothers.
“My explosiveness and versatility," Landren Blocker said. "I could take a guard off the dribble but with my size I could also back a guard down as well.”
He added that his favorite aspects of his own game are his athleticism and drive for the game.
Both of those are evident when seeing any of Landren Blocker’s highlights. He can finish with force at the rim, dunking in traffic on different occasions, but sometimes he doesn’t even have a reaction after it.
“It really depends on how I’m feeling,” Landren Blocker said. “Sometimes when I dunk on people I was probably mad, and other times I was probably just going with the flow of the game.”
Even though he is an incredible athlete who attacks the rim, Landren Blocker is more than just that. He has shown the ability to knock down shots from the midrange and outside while also being able to take defenders off the bounce from the perimeter.
Landren Blocker hasn’t made any plans to take any unofficial or official visits yet, but he does have a number of schools that have been in consistent contact with him recently. Those schools are Arkansas, Missouri, Ole Miss, TCU, Tulane, and UCA.