All season long Arkansas basketball has been looking for a dominant, physical presence down low. They might get that with this next recruiting class, mainly because of Bobby Portis from Little Rock Hall. Portis stands 6 foot 10 and the 6th best power forward in the country according to scout.com. He would already be the tallest player on the Arkansas team right now.
“It was a very easy decision for me to pick there because they play fast pace on offense and defense,” said Portis. “They are up-tempo as a team and that's what I like to do.”
The Hogs call themselves the fastest 40 minutes in basketball. When you watch Portis on the court, the fit just seems to make sense. His size and his agility are exactly what Arkansas needs; a guy who can have an effect down low for an entire game.
“I'm going to go out there and play hard and rebound every game, run the floor well and make my teammates better,” said Portis.
But he knows he still has to get better to compete on the college level. 6 foot 10 and 220 pounds is a skinny frame that Portis and his high school coach Jon Coleman know needs to get bigger.
“As far as improving, naturally he wants to get stronger,” said Coleman. “That will be part of his focal point, getting stronger and getting ready to be a Razorback.”
Portis has all the measurable. The scouts love him, a 5 star recruit, one of the best players in the country right now. Every recruiting service is high on this kid. But a lot of his success will depend on how he transitions from high school to college.
“I do 50 pushups every night,” said Portis. “I try to stay in shape because at Arkansas they are running a lot. I'm working on my core and my hops so I can be quicker on my feet when I catch the ball. I'm working on my post game so I can be like a dominant post.”
It’s the exact position Arkansas wants to fill on the roster. Next fall can't come soon enough.