Ibby Ali enters NCAA transfer portal

FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time since Eric Musselman was announced as Arkansas’ head coach, a player has decided to leave the program.

Forward Ibrahim “Ibby” Ali - who redshirted this past season - has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal, he told HawgBeat on Tuesday.

Although he looks the part at 6-foot-10, 244 pounds, Ali was generally considered a project player when he signed with the Razorbacks last May.

Ali originally signed with Baylor as a three-star recruit out of Maumelle, Ark., but was let out of his National Letter of Intent less than a month later. The Nigeria native averaged just 4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a senior for the Hornets.

Despite being one of only two players taller than 6-foot-8 on Arkansas’ roster, with the other being Daniel Gafford, Ali was redshirted so he could develop.

He is the third member of the Razorbacks’ 2018 eight-man signing class to leave the program. Guard Jordan Phillips transferred to UT-Arlington halfway through the year and guard Keyshawn Embery-Simpson left shortly after Mike Anderson was fired and has since landed at Tulsa.

Assuming Jonathan Holmes goes back to walk-on status, Musselman now has two scholarships to use on high school signees or transfers. That number would grow to three if Khalil Garland is placed on a medical scholarship.

Click here to view Arkansas' scholarship distribution for the 2019-20 season.

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