FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2021 – COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: MIKE CAWOOD

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Online Version: https://bit.ly/3gXWjI

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman has named Mike Ekanem director of player development for the Razorback men’s basketball program.

Ekanem, who worked on Musselman’s Nevada staff, spent the last two seasons as the director of scouting for Texas A&M men’s basketball.

“We are extremely excited about Mike being a part of our staff,” Musselman said. “Mike was a great asset to us at the University of Nevada and we look forward to the opportunity to work together again. Mike understands our culture, our philosophies for recruiting and our ‘X’s and O’s.’ Mike also has an NBA background, having worked with the San Antonio Spurs, which will be vital in recruiting and with our current student-athletes.”

Ekanem spent the 2018-19 season at Nevada as the multimedia specialist. Prior to his time at Nevada, he spent four years at Memphis as a special assistant for two seasons before serving as the video coordinator and recruiting assistant. He coordinated both video and social media for the Tigers and assisted with opponent scouting and recruiting.

Before arriving at Memphis, he worked at Louisiana Tech as an assistant women’s basketball coach for the 2013-14 season. In that role, he oversaw recruiting, scheduling, camps and guard development.

Ekanem spent six seasons working for Spurs Sports and Entertainment as a basketball operations assistant for the San Antonio Spurs and as director of video and athletic performance for the San Antonio Stars of the WNBA. For both organizations, he assisted in practice and game preparation, video, skill development and strength and conditioning.

A Houston native, Ekanem graduated from Texas Lutheran with a bachelor’s degree in 2005. Ekanem was an all-conference player and four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs and played professionally overseas.Ekanem earned a master’s degree in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2008.  He holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and National Academy of Sports Medicine.At Arkansas he replaces Earl Boykins who recently became an assistant coach at the University of Texas-El Paso.