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The big basketball recruiting chatter right now is whether or not the Razorbacks can keep the 16U Arkansas Hawks starting five together in college. They don’t all have offers yet, but the Hogs picked up their second commitment from the five in guard Isaiah Joe from Fort Smith.
The other commitment is class of 2019 point guard Justice Hill, but Joe is the first commitment in the 2018 class. According to Richard Davenport, Joe received an offer from Arkansas on a visit to Fayetteville on Tuesday and committed the same day.
Joe has started to pick up offers after an impressive showing (Joe made 6 threes in one game) at the Adidas Summer Championships in Las Vegas last month, an event in which Mike Anderson watched every game the Hawks played. Joe didn’t hold any offers before the tournament, but since has picked up offers from Alabama and UALR in addition to Arkansas, with several others showing interest. Considering he’s a 2018 prospect, his offers would normally be coming in around this time. Davenport even wrote at the Las Vegas event that Joe should be the next player to get an offer.
Our own Scottie Bordelon wrote a nice feature on Joe in February. A common theme is that his jump shot is developing really nicely. He shot 41% from long range last year. His high school coach told Bordelon:
“I told him I want you to know that once you cross half-court and you’re feeling it, I don’t want you to hesitate,” Burnett said before a Feb. 9 road game at Bentonville. “Pull the trigger. I’ve seen you shoot the basketball. I have confidence in you to shoot it, so you go right ahead.”
Joe received the message loud and clear. He then scored a career-high 24 points.
What a performance by Isaiah Joe of Northside. He finished with 24 points. Keep your eyes on him the next few years.
— Nicholas Mason (@_Nick5000) February 10, 2016
Joe is the first commitment in what could be a really big 2018 class for Arkansas. The Hogs will have six juniors this coming season, meaning there could be six scholarships available in that class.
Forwards Ethan Henderson and Reggie Perry are two other players in the Hawks’ starting lineup with an offer from Arkansas.