BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Johnell Davis, who transferred from Florida Atlantic and signed with the Arkansas basketball team last spring after entering the portal, said he was contacted by too many programs to name and narrowed his choices to three.
Arkansas obviously was one of Davis’ of the final three teams Davis considered, and he said Michigan was another.
The third? Davis is keeping that to himself, but he offered a clue.
“It was too close to home,” said Davis, who is from Gary, Ind., on Tuesday at SEC Media Days of his third choice. “So I [marked] that one out.
“Where I came from, me being close to home is distraction. I just didn’t need all the distractions.”
Michigan was in the mix because Dusty May, the Wolverines’ new coach, was Davis’ coach at FAU.
But Davis’ close connection to May — who led Davis and the Owls to the 2023 Final Four — couldn’t trump new Arkansas Coach John Calipari.
“I feel like [playing for] Cal speaks for itself,” Davis said. “Once I got that call, it was either go to the [NBA] or go to Arkansas.”
Davis entered his name into the NBA Draft, then withdrew it in late May to play for Calipari, who was Kentucky’s coach the previous 15 seasons and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
“Cal’s a Hall of Fame coach, and he wins everywhere he goes,” Davis said. “I’m excited to play for him.”
The 6-4 Davis, who said he played primarily power forward for FAU but figures to be a shooting guard for Arkansas, averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season and was among the top-rated players in the transfer portal after starring for the Owls of the American Athletic Conference.
“I’m excited about the jump to the SEC from the American,” Davis said. “Just to play more talent.”
Davis has been limited in recent practices because of a wrist injury, which he said he suffered taking a fall.
“Everything is feeling good,” Davis said. “I’m just taking an abundance of caution.
“I’ve been feeling good, just getting back healthy. … Just trying to be cautious.
“I’m just taking it day by day trying to get better.”
Junior forward Adou Thiero, who also represented Arkansas at SEC Media Days, also has been limited in practice because of undisclosed injury.
Thiero politely declined to discuss what is his specific injury.
Arkansas senior forward Jonas Aidoo, a transfer from Tennessee who was an All-SEC pick last season, also has been limited in practice because of an undisclosed injury.
Calipari has stressed he’s holding out the “banged up” players now so they’ll be ready when the season starts.
“It’s early,” Calipari said after public practice in Pine Bluff last Sunday. “I’m not panicked.”
Calipari smiled.
“I’ve got a foot on the panic button, but I don’t have two on the panic button,” he said. “So we’ll get healthy and we’ll see where we are.”
Gates excited about Boateng
Missouri’s top freshman is Annor Boateng, a 6-6 guard from Little Rock Central. He was ranked the No. 26 player nationally by 247Sports, No. 33 by ESPN and No. 34 by Rivals.
“I’m excited about Annor Boateng, two-time Gatorade Player of the Year,” Missouri Coach Dennis Gates said. “But what I’m looking at is he has a tremendous background.
“A young man that is a 4.0 student, young man who played in the band, plays the saxophone. His talents off the court are tremendous.”
Boateng averaged 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals as a senior at Central last season. He is Missouri’s highest-ranked freshman signee since Michael Porter Jr. in 2017.
Now, when you look at him as a basketball player, he’s a tremendous young man, multi-talented, straight-line driver, strong, physical,” Gates said. “Also a kid that can get his own shot.
“His athleticism in this conference is very important. I look for him to make an impact.”
Gates added it can be tough to predict how a freshman will play.
“Practice is one thing, a game is another,” Gates said. “We don’t know until we get into games where Annor is, but from what I see he’s one of the most talented guys that I’ve coached as a freshman, and I’m excited that he chose Missouri.”
Mark at Texas
Tramon Mark, who averaged a team-high 16.2 points at Arkansas last season, will set to finish his college career at Texas.
Mark, a 6-5 fifth-year senior guard, transferred to Texas after playing one season Arkansas. He played his first three seasons at Houston.
“Tramon brings a lot to the team on and off the court,” Texas senior forward Kadin Shedrick said. “First of all, on the court, he’s a really talented player. Incredible shot-maker. Defensively, he’s outstanding. He came from Houston, and they’re really big on defense there.
“Then off the court, he’s just a great guy, and that’s what we’re all about in our locker room, just having a bunch of great guys.
“He just adds a lot to the team in both areas.”
Texas freshman guard Tre Johnson said as a college newcomers, he’s been learning from Mark.
“I’ve been learning a lot recently,” Johnson said. “Just his pace and his knowledge and understanding of the game. Just picking his brain and things that he’s seen.
“Because he’s been playing for a while now. He’s seen lots of different defense and different things that have been thrown at him, and he’s handled it different ways.
“So I feel like he can be a person that can give me insight on what to do or not to do, what to look for and stuff like that.”
Texas Coach Rodney Terry said he watched Mark play throughout high school in Dickinson, Texas.
“So I’ve seen him for a very, very long time,” Terry said. “He’s a youngster who has tremendous size, athleticism.
“He can go create his own shot. He can create for his teammates. Very good high IQ basketball player.
“He’s had a chance to compete, be coached by some really good coaches.”
Mark started on a Final Four team at Houston in 2021 for Coach Kelvin Sampson and played for Coach Eric Musselman at Arkansas last season. Musselman is now at Southern Cal and is a former NBA coach.
“So he’s been coached very well,” Terry said. “He’s a guy that we look to bring a lot of experience, a guy that plays on both ends of the floor.
“He’s a really good offensive player, but he’s also a really good defensive player, as well. You talk about a guy that we like to think that’s going to be a great two-way player for us.”
Mark and Texas are scheduled to play Arkansas twice this season.
“At first you wouldn’t really hear him say much,” Johnson said of Mark’s quiet nature around his new teammates. “Now you hear him talking, laughing, making jokes, all of it. It’s been great.”
