A familiar face will be back in Fayetteville after forward Trevon Brazile opted out of the 2024 NBA draft and announced his return to Arkansas. The team posted the development on X/Twitter that depicted a graphic of Brazile wearing the Razorbacks jersey with the statement:
“Re-energized. Re-focused. I’m all hog. Run it back.”
Brazile played in 26 games for Arkansas last season, averaging 8.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, shooting 48.8% from the field and 35.3% from the 3-point line. His return to Arkansas is expected to help new coach and former national champion John Calipari bring the Razorbacks back to relevancy in the 2024-25 season.
The Springfield, Missouri native initially declared for the 2024 NBA draft and earned a spot at the NBA draft combine. Brazile also enlisted in the transfer portal to keep his options open for a return to college ball in the 2024-25 season.
Arkansas expected no one from the previous roster to return after former coach Eric Musselman left for USC this offseason. Razorbacks' Athletic Director Hunter Yurcheck knew that he should make a splash before the new season started, and it began with the hire of 2012 national champion mentor Calipari.
Right after his hiring, Calipari buckled down to work and tried to sign up marquee players from the transfer portal and convinced incoming freshmen to play and study in Fayetteville.
Trevon Brazile returns to Arkansas and brings additional frontline depth
The return of Trevon Brazile will undoubtedly boost the Razorbacks' frontline this coming season as they already have 6-foot-10 Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo and 7-foot-2 former Kentucky slot man Zvonimir Ivisic on their roster. Arkansas also secured the commitments of DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero and Johnell Davis from the portal and signed up incoming freshmen Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond.
All Brazile has to do is stay healthy in the coming season. He has been injury-prone during his previous stints with the Razorbacks. The forward played only nine games in the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
On3.com basketball expert James Fletcher seeded Arkansas as No. 22 in his latest way-too-early power rankings, and the addition – or return – of Brazile will help the Razorbacks move up the charts and catch up with their SEC counterparts.
How do you think Trevon Brazile and Co. will fare next season under John Calipari? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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