Arkansas lands Magnolia’s Derrian Ford
MAGNOLIA, Ark. (BVM) — Eric Musselman continues to build his team for the future. Back on July 14, the Arkansas Razorback basketball program received a commitment from one of the state’s top players, Derrian Ford.
“First off, I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to tell the world this,” Ford stated in a tweet. “I put in a lot of hard work to get to this point. I want to thank all the coaches for showing great interest [in] me … with that being said, I will be committing to the University of Arkansas.”
It didn’t shock many, but the 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior guard dominated his competition during the 2020-21 season. Averaging 23.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists, Ford was able to lead the Panthers to the Class 4A semifinals.
According to ESPN, Ford is the second-best player in Arkansas and ranked No. 59 nationally. This year he was awarded Gatorade Arkansas Player of the Year and was voted Class 4A Player of the Year. He is part of a large group of basketball talent, and he has committed to the University of Arkansas to continue his athletic and academic career in 2022.
Ford is just as remarkable off the court as he is on the court. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and finds time to volunteer with the Special Olympics and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
“Derrian Ford is a physically imposing player with great work ethic,” ESPN National Recruiting Director Paul Biancardi said in a Gatorade Press Release. “He combines a unique blend of strength, speed and skill to score. His finishing ability against ‘help defenders’ is fantastic. His ability to play off two feet in the paint with control, balance and explosiveness is special.”
Ford will be joining a highly successful Razorback basketball program in a year. This past season, the Razorbacks finished with an overall record of 25-7 (13-4 SEC) and were ranked No. 6 in the final basketball coach’s poll. The squad was able to reach the Elite Eight before being knocked out by eventual national champions, the Baylor Bears.
Not only will Ford be suiting up for his home state, but he will be playing for one of the most exciting coaches in college basketball, Eric Musselman. Musselman has been with the Razorbacks since 2019 and has gone 45-19 during his tenure. Ford is sure to add more wins to his record once he reaches Fayetteville.
Ford has already proven he has what it takes to play at the next level. The road ahead will be difficult for Ford, but extraordinary players like him step up on the biggest stages, and that’s what he has the chance to do for Arkansas.
Tomorrow I’ll be in Magnolia hanging with @RazorbackMBB commit @thetruthballers for a story I’m working on for @sbliveark Planning on a Facebook Live with him in the afternoon where we will visit and take some of your questions. pic.twitter.com/3VOlAuQugX
— Nate Olson (@ndosports) July 31, 2021
