Introducing Arkansas' 2022 Hoops Recruiting Class
With the latest addition, Arkansas is up to six players in its 2022 recruiting class.
The group is arguably the best in school history, but it is definitely the top class during the modern recruiting rankings era.
Rivals currently has it at No. 2 nationally, trailing only a historic Duke group that features the top three players in the class.
Here’s a closer look at the Razorbacks’ 2022 class…
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Nick Smith
School: North Little Rock (Ark.)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 185
Committed: Sept. 29, 2021
Ranking: 5-star, No. 4 in Rivals150, No. 1 PG
2021-22 stats (senior): 26.5 points, 8 rebounds, 7.3 assists (prior to state title game)
2020-21 stats (junior): 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
2019-20 stats (sophomore): 21.3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Notable: McDonald’s All-American… Selected to play in Jordan Brand Classic… Selected to play in Iverson Classic… 1 of 5 finalists for Naismith HS Boys Player of the Year… Naismith HS first-team All-American… Helped North Little Rock win Class 6A state championship with 26-3 record as a senior… Named MVP of the state championship game, in which he scored 25 points on 8 of 16 shooting and had 6 rebounds and 5 assists… North Little Rock finished No. 10 in USA TODAY Sports Super 25… Led Brad Beal Elite AAU team to runner-up finish at 2021 Peach Jam while averaging 18.6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists… Scored 31 points in Peach Jam finals… 2021 Player of the Year in Arkansas by MaxPreps and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette… 2020 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Underclassman of the Year… Began high school career at Sylvan Hills
Jordan Walsh
School: Link Year Academy (Branson, Mo.)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 200
Committed: Oct. 14, 2021
Ranking: 5-star, No. 19 in Rivals150, No. 7 SF
2020-21 stats (junior): 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2.4 steals, 2.3 blocks
Ranking: McDonald’s All-American… Selected to play in Jordan Brand Classic… Naismith HS honorable mention All-American… Helped Link Academy earn the No. 4 seed in the GEICO High School Nationals, a national tournament for prep schools in Fort Myers, Fla. … Link Year ended the regular season with a 31-1 record and No. 1 ranking in USA TODAY Sports Super 25 … Previously spent time at Southern California Academy in Castaic, Calif. and Faith and Family Academy in Oak Cliff, Calif. … 2021 Class 4A All-State selection by Texas Association of Basketball Coaches… Helped Faith and Family win Class 4A state title with a dunk at the buzzer as a freshman… Listed hometown is Desoto, Texas
Anthony Black
School: Duncanville (Texas)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 185
Committed: March 28, 2022
Ranking: 4-star, No. 27 in Rivals150, No. 5 SG
2021-22 stats (senior): 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.2 steals
2019-20 stats (sophomore): 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.3 steals
Notable: McDonald’s All-American… Selected to play in Iverson Classic… Helped Duncanville win Class 6A state championship with a 35-1 record… Named MVP of the state championship game, in which he scored 17 points and was 9 of 11 from the free throw line… Duncanville finished No. 3 in USA TODAY Sports Super 25… Earned TABC All-State honors in 2022… Began high school career at Coppell (Texas)
Derrian Ford
School: Magnolia (Ark.)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 210
Committed: July 14, 2021
Ranking: 4-star, No. 76 in Rivals150, No. 16 SG
2021-22 stats (senior): 23.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals (prior to state title game)
2020-21 stats (junior): 23.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Notable: Two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas (2021, 2022)… Helped Magnolia win Class 4A state championship with perfect 30-0 record as a senior… Named MVP of the state championship game, in which he scored 29 points on 11 of 22 shooting and had 5 rebounds and 2 steals… Won three state titles at Magnolia (2020 title was shared because of COVID)… Helped Magnolia compile 103-6 record during his four seasons, losing just once (to Morrilton and fellow signee Joseph Pinion in 2021 semifinals) over his final three seasons… Also named Class 4A State Tournament MVP as a freshman and sophomore… First-team All-State selection by Max Preps as a sophomore
Joseph Pinion
School: Morrilton (Ark.)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 185
Committed: Oct. 23, 2020
Ranking: 4-star, No. 128 in Rivals150, No. 33 SF
2020-21 stats (junior): 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 40% 3PT
2019-20 stats (sophomore): 18 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks
2018-19 stats (freshman): 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Notable: 2021 first-team All-Arkansas Preps by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette… Led Morrilton to Class 4A state championship game as a junior… Named first-team All-Arkansas Preps by Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as a junior
Barry Dunning Jr.
School: McGill-Toolen Catholic (Mobile, Ala.)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 195
Committed: July 5, 2021
Ranking: 3-star, No. 133 in Rivals150, No. 36 SF
2021-22 stats (senior): 25.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.3 steals, 1.7 blocks, 43.7% 3PT
2020-21 stats (junior): 21.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.8 blocks
Notable: Two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama (2021, 2022)… 2022 AL.com Coastal Alabama Player of the Year… Three-time first-team All-State selection… Led McGill-Toolen to Class 6A state semifinals as a senior… Had 25 points, 18 rebounds and 3 steals in that semifinal loss… Named MVP of 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists… Finalist for 2022 ASWA Class 6A Player of the Year and considered a contender for the ASWA Mr. Basketball Award… Named Class 6A Player of the Year by Mobile Optimist Club