FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Most of the attention this offseason has been on Jordan Smith, Jr., Miikka Muurinen or even Russian center Ilia Frolov when it comes to recruiting.
While each of them are talented in their own right, but somehow Little Rock Christian 5-star guard JaShawn “JJ” Andrews has been forgotten about in the rotaton. Most projections have him coming off the bench as the sixth or seventh man available behind Jeremiah Wilkinson or junior wing Billy Richmond III.
College basketball these days is all about age and experience over talent, but when it comes to Andrews’ size, athleticism and overall skillset makes it hard to bring him off the bench for less than 26 minutes per game. That’s the issue third-year coach John Calipari is paid $7.5 million to figure out over everyone else.
Will there be hiccups along the way? Of course, it’s rare for teams these days not go through chemistry battles, and Arkansas won’t be alone.
Andrews may be the most difficult player on Arkansas’ roster to properly utilize, not for a lack of talent, but because there’s almost too much talent around him.
He’s an intimidating downhill driver at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds with broad shoulders and an NBA-ready frame going into his freshman year. Arguably his biggest value coming out of high school is the ability to guard and play multiple positions on the floor at all times.
Bully ball was the theme for college basketball all throughout last season, which led to Arkansas falling short in the Sweet 16 against Arizona. While the Razorbacks had an endless amount of scoring options on the floor at all times, Calipari was missing someone who could force the issue and make things happen even when battling through contact.
Andrews certainly had a mismatch in physicality when it came to playing at the 5A level of Arkansas high school competition. He completed his prep career with 2,865 career points at Little Rock Christian, which also ranks No. 5 in state history behind former Junction City and Oklahoma State standout James Anderson.
As a senior, the lefty averaged 31 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two steals and over one block per game while shooting 61% from the floor, 34% from three and 75% from the free throw line. With plenty of his high school points coming off overwhelming one-on-one mismatches, Andrews is going to be tested at the next level and it’ll be up to him to expand his game, which shouldn’t be hard to do.
Calipari has already shown an ability to accelerate player development in Fayetteville. Darius Acuff became one of the SEC’s premier scoring guards, Meleek Thomas added a reliable floater to his arsenal, and Billy Richmond III evolved into a legitimate three-level scorer by conference play.
When Calipari inherited Trevon Brazile, he was a player a shell of himself as a former first round selection. The Springfield, Miss. native regained his confidence and became exactly what was projected of him three years earlier.
If a guy is willing to learn and display a quality work ethic, then Andrews will be a perfect candidate to see his game involve into a can’t miss one-and-done NBA prospect.
When the ball is rolled out at midcourt for the Razorbacks’ exhibition against Gonzaga in late October, Andrews may not be included in the starting lineup, but don’t confuse pregame introductions with importance or the actual rotation.
Andrews truly possesses all the elite traits needed for a complete star on the court with his size, athleticism and two-way potential to become one of the Razorbacks’ most indispensable players.
Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Calipari’s biggest challenge won’t be finding a role for him, but simply find enough minutes for somebody talented enough to demand them.
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