Gafford announces his return to Arkansas for sophomore season
Hogs making strong impression on Major
Razorbacks remain in strong position for Clay
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Arkansas fans received some much-needed good news on Monday as freshman big man Daniel Gafford announced his plans to return to Fayetteville to play his sophomore season in a Razorback uniform via Twitter.
Many national pundits had projected Gafford to go anywhere from the late lottery to the low-twenties in the upcoming NBA Draft in June. This year’s 2018 class is loaded with quality post players such as Arizona’s DeAndre Ayton, Duke’s Marvin Bagley III and Texas’ Mohamed Bamba, but the 2019 prospect pool appears to be much less crowded with bigs, leaving the door open for Gafford to move into the top-10.
The 6-11 freshman quickly became a walking highlight reel in Fayetteville with his windmill slams and forceful rejections, putting him on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays multiple times throughout the season. Gafford averaged 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in his inaugural season as a Hog on 60.5 percent shooting from the field.
Gafford’s return is a welcome sight for coach Mike Anderson and fans, considering his potential departure would have left the squad quite thin in the frontcourt. His experience, athleticism and skill should greatly aid a young Razorback team next season.
“Obviously this is great news for us,” Mike Anderson said. “He’s the centerpiece to what we are doing here, and this gives him the chance to build on the tremendous freshman year he had. Daniel is a special player and the sky is the limit for him.”