FAYETTEVILLE - Instate 4-star forward Joseph Pinion of Morrilton and 5-star Jordan Walsh forward of DeSoto, Texas and 4-star guard Barry Dunning of Mobile, Ala. became Wednesday’s star-studded start of Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman’s recruiting class for 2022-2023.
Pinion, 6-6, Walsh, 6-7 and Dunning, 6-6, all signed letters of intent with Arkansas on Wednesday’s first day of the national signing period.
Five-star 6-4 guard Nick Smith, playing his senior high school season at North Little Rock after starring from ninth through 11th grade at Sylvan Hills, and Derrian Ford, a 6-3 4-star guard from Magnolia, have verbally committed to sign with Arkansas but did not sign on Wednesday’s opening of the signing period.
Since remain recruitable athletes, Smith and Ford cannot be publicly commented upon by Musselman without breaking NCAA rules. But without specifically mentioning them, Musselman was free to speak in general about his recruiting class and specifically about Pinion, Walsh and Dunning since they are officially signed.
“Obviously, we can only discuss the three guys today,” Musselman said. “But we feel really good about the direction, the way we're building this thing. I think we saw last year the impact of what the four freshmen can do.”
Arkansas went to the NCAA Elite Eight last season starting true freshmen Moses Moody, signed last summer by the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and returning sophomore guard Davonte “Devo” Davis and returning sophomore center Jaylin Williams with returning sophomore guard KK Robinson contending for playing time before his season ending broken foot.
“Three of them starting on an Elite Eight team,” Musselman said, projecting similarly possible immediate contributions in 2022-2023 from this freshman class. “These guys are going to have an impact for sure, and a really, really positive impact. For many of them, it's going to be an impact right away, just like we saw last year with some of the guys."
Evaluated a 4-star by ESPN and 247SportsComposite, Pinion starred on Morrilton’s State Tournament runner-up team as a junior last season. He averaged 17.2, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and a blocked shot per game last season.
As a 2019-20 sophomore he averaged 18.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.6 steals and as a ninth-grader averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists a steal and a blocked shot.
“The thing with Joseph is he was the first one to step up in this class and say, ‘Hey, I want to be a Razorback player,” Musselman said. “I think that’s always a powerful message when somebody believes in what’s going on and wants to commit at an early stage. He’s got incredible passion to be a Razorback player.”
And the potential passionately to contribute now that he’s unencumbered by a previously injured knee.
“He obviously is a great shooter with deep, deep range,” Musselman said. “Obviously he’s become more and more healthy playing now without the knee brace. He gives us a good length and a guy that can play the 2 or 3-spot.”
In addition to Arkansas, Pinion received recruiting offers from Kansas, DePaul, Oral Roberts, Tulsa, South Alabama. and the University of Central Arkansas.
Walsh, rated a 5-star by ESPN and 247SportsComposite, played at DeSoto High and in Missouri for Link Year Prep.
“He’s such an explosive athlete,” Musselman said. “He was my favorite guy to watch at that wing position and actually he’s got some unique abilities to be a passer, too. He’s a grab and go guy. Like he can grab a defensive rebound and ignite your fast break. He’s an electric athlete to watch. People are going to love watching him play in Bud Walton. He’s got explosive dunks. He’s got creative passing ability off the bounce. He can make 3-point shots. He can guard positions 1 through 4. He can play positions 1 through 4.”
Dunning rates a 4-star according to ESPN and 247SportsComposite and averaged 21.5 points 11.3 rebounds per game last season.
“Barry is multi-faceted,” Musselman said. “He’s another really, really versatile player. He’s great off the elbows. He’s a really, really, really good passer, and a willing passer.
Very well coached. He understands spacing. He’s got a really high basketball IQ with the ball in his hands, and when the ball’s not in his hands. A guy that can score with his back to the basket, can score around the rim, can face up. But I think his passing right now really separates him at his size.”