Arkansas making up ground after late offer for 2021 4-star wing

Of roughly 19 rising senior targets left undecided on the Arkansas hoops big board, Rivals150 shooting guard Jahmai Mashack is one of the most recent offers. Despite the newness of the offer, Mashack is enjoying the constant contact the Hog staff has had with him since July 27.

“Arkansas is a great option to have,” 6-foot-4 Mashack said. “They have been great trying to get to know me and building a relationship since they offered a little later than most of the schools who offered. But I know a lot about Coach Musselman and watch a lot of his games in Nevada.”

Mashack told Adam Zagoria in an interview that his recruitment process has been slowed due to injury.

“Because I was injured and in a cast all last summer, it really put my recruitment behind as far as my timeline," Mashack said. "But I’m grateful to have things pick up for me now.”

Scorebook Live only reports Mashack appearing in five games in the 2019-2020 high school season, where he averaged 10 points per game. Only three of those games were consecutive–he scored eight, 24, and 10 points in those games respectively.

Mashack said that the Arkansas staff wants to use him as a pick-and-roll guard and lockdown defender.

“They’re definitely recruiting me for both sides of the ball,” he said. “I take pride in my defense, though.”

Mashack said that he was “definitely” willing to embrace that role.

“But I can do whatever my team would need,” he said. “That’s the kind of player I’ve always been."

Rivals currently ranks Mashack as the 48th overall prospect in the 2021 class, but through his parents' teachings and his own experience playing, he said he’s always been a selfless player.

“My parents are all about team first, so I was raised that way,” he said. “I also played up on my AAU team so, if I wanted to be on the floor, I had to be smart and defend.”

Coach Musselman is known for having good rebounding guards, and when asked if he liked boxing out and rebounding, Mashack said, “All day!”

In addition to being willing to do the dirty work to see the floor, Mashack is self-aware of the strengths in his game.

“The area of my game that is the strongest is my versatility,” he said. “I can play multiple positions but I can also guard 1-4. I can play with the ball in my hands or without.”

Mashack said that he is prioritizing the schools that are prioritizing him. He recently listed seven schools who keep in constant contact: Cal, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.

When asked what he was looking for in a program, Mashack said, “Player development and a relationship with the coaches and players.”

Mashack said he plans to decide around the end of September or October.

The Hogs already have two 2021 commits–JUCO PF Akol Mawein and Georgia PG Chance Moore–but have a couple or more spots left to fill.