Kentucky's ex-5 star signee follows John Calipari to Arkansas basketball

26/04/2024 16:01

Five-star point guard Boogie Fland was originally committed to play college hoops with the Kentucky basketball team, but when Calipari left the program, Fland changed his mind. After another disappointing NCAA Tournament finish for the Wildcats, Calipari decided to leave and take the head coaching job with the Arkansas basketball team. Fland decided that he still wants to play for Calipari, and he is now committed to play for the Razorbacks.

“BREAKING: 2024 Top-20 recruit Boogie Fland, a former Kentucky signee, has committed to Arkansas and head coach John Calipari, he tells @On3Recruits,” Joe Tipton said in a tweet.

Boogie Fland is ranked as the #24 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to 247 Sports, the #2 PG and the #3 player in the state of New York. He currently attends Archbishop Stepinac High School in Harlem, New York.

John Calipari worked hard to get Fland to follow him to Arkansas basketball, and his hard work paid off.

“Coach Cal is telling me the same stuff since he recruited me at Kentucky” Fland said, according to an article from 247 Sports. “He wants me to come play for him and come play at Arkansas.”

When Calipari got to Arkansas, there wasn’t much of a roster there and he noted that in his introductory press conference. He has a lot of work to do to build one, and he is getting a great player in Boogie Fland. This is big for Calipari and the Razorbacks.

“Arkansas fans are going to be excited for a player like Boogie” Fland’s high school coach said. “(He’s) a three level scorer, extremely quick with the ball and has unlimited range. Who at times does not mind being a pass first type guard.”

Boogie Fland scouting report

Arkansas basketball fans should be very excited about the addition of Boogie Fland, and it should certainly make them feel better about where the roster is currently at. There is still a lot to do, but this is a good pickup.

“Fland has spent most of his high school career playing off the ball, but has developed into a reliable secondary ball-handler who has become increasingly capable of initiating offense with the ball in his hands,” Adam Finkelstein said in his evaluation of Fland. “He has pace with the ball, both in the open floor and coming off ball-screens, a good left hand, and has definitely gotten tighter with his handle over the years. Defensively, Fland has the long arms, quick hands, and feet to be effective. He defends with a playmaking mindset that leads to a high steal rate (1.7/game), and has untapped potential as someone who can pick-up and pressure the ball away from the basket. Overall, Fland is a skilled shooter, who bases his game off his ability to make tough shots right now. As he continues to build up his body and learns to impact the game in other ways, he’s only going to become more efficient.”

There is a lot of reason for excitement if you’re an Arkansas fan. This is going to a fun stretch for the Razorbacks.

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