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Why chess is forging an unlikely partnership with esports

Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana during the Norway Chess Open in 2024. – Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix/AP The ancient game of chess is one steeped in tradition, with a history dating back centuries. It was once a game purely of endurance, a test of patience with titanic battles often taking days to find a winner. […]

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Why chess is forging an unlikely partnership with esports

Norway's Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana during the Norway Chess Open in 2024. - Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix/AP

Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana during the Norway Chess Open in 2024. – Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix/AP

The ancient game of chess is one steeped in tradition, with a history dating back centuries. It was once a game purely of endurance, a test of patience with titanic battles often taking days to find a winner.

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Much of that is true today, with the classical form of chess still prominent on the global stage. However, it’s no longer alone and perhaps in danger of taking a back seat.

That’s because of the explosion of shorter forms of chess, which compile all those existing traditions into bitesize matches taking just a matter of minutes from start to finish.

And, thanks to organizations such as Chess.com and streaming platforms such as Twitch, the game is now increasingly being played online – so much so that it’s set to make its debut at the Esports World Cup (EWC) later this year.

The tournament, hosted and part-funded by Saudi Arabia, was held for the first time in 2024 and brought together professional gamers, publishers and fans from across the world for an eight-week competitive gaming bonanza.

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Earlier this year, it was announced that chess would be included in the event, with the best players in the world competing for a $1.5 million prize pool – playing a new format which is deemed more accessible to an esports audience.

In a bid to compete in the new event, top esports teams have set about signing some of the best chess players on the planet.

Team Liquid, one of the biggest esports teams, didn’t hold back and signed Norwegian world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and American No. 2 Fabiano Caruana.

“For us, we’ve been big fans of chess, and I think the main reason is because there’s a considerable amount of overlap in the demographics of gamers and chess players,” Team Liquid’s CEO Steve Arhancet tells CNN Sports, adding that “The Queen’s Gambit” television show and lockdowns sparked a surge of popularity in chess streamers.

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“I think folks now bounce around Twitch and watch different genres of content, and would pop into a chess streamer and watch games and then switch over to a League of Legends match. I think that cross pollination has always been of interest for us.”

Chess’ participation in the EWC has finally offered esports organizations a more serious business case to invest into chess and it could be a sign of things to come. It also offers chess another avenue in which to grow and capitalize on its surge in popularity.

Team Liquid CEO Steve Arhancet believes chess and esports can be a profitable partnership. - AWNewYork/Shutterstock

Team Liquid CEO Steve Arhancet believes chess and esports can be a profitable partnership. – AWNewYork/Shutterstock

‘Chess is already a thriving ecosystem’

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) which organizes the EWC, says merging the tournament with the chess world is a huge opportunity for both parties.

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Reichert says the EWCF held positive conversations with top players and Chess.com, largely considered the home of online chess, before announcing a three-year partnership which will allow teams to truly invest in the venture.

Carlsen, considered arguably the best chess player of all time, also agreed to work as an ambassador for the crossover.

“When we go into a game, when we go into any ecosystem, we want to get into it and add value and help grow it,” Reichert tells CNN Sports.

“And chess is already a thriving ecosystem – one of the fastest growing sports in the last few years. We thought that we can bring a real foothold for it in the esports ecosystem, specifically into the club ecosystem, and so that was almost the theoretical construct behind it.”

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The format, though, was something that took some time to settle on. The goal was to create a version which would stay true to tradition while incorporating elements associated with fast-paced esports games.

The result was the creation of a 10+0 format, which would give both players 10 minutes to make their moves without any chance to add additional time, increasing the chances of blunders as players battle against the clock.

Just 16 players will qualify for the tournament and earn their place through the Champions Chess Tour, hosted by Chess.com.

“It does make it a bit less like traditional chess, a bit more gamified,” Caruana, the current world No. 5, tells CNN Sports.

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“I think there will be players who are not super happy about that format, and some players who might like it more, and also some players for whom it will definitely benefit their chances. I can’t say for sure if it benefits mine.”

Fabiano Caruana, ranked fifth in the world, believes the traditions of chess can still exist. - Gregor Fischer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Fabiano Caruana, ranked fifth in the world, believes the traditions of chess can still exist. – Gregor Fischer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Future of classical chess

Caruana is excited to test himself against yet another online format – something which is becoming increasingly frequent for current stars – but understands that some in chess won’t be happy about the game drifting further away from tradition.

The American, who lost the classical World Chess Championship final against Carlsen in 2018, still sees value in the classic format and wants to “keep our historical legacy” which has “a lot of meaningful significance.”

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As chess continues to shift more towards online platforms, he envisions a future where the top players continue to split their time across all the different formats, allowing them to diversify their training.

“I think that we are seeing a general shift to faster time patrols, which is also driven a lot by players’ preferences, and perhaps also by the market, because most people, I would assume from the spectator side, want to see faster, and you could argue more dynamic and exciting formats,” he says.

“That’s something that’s already been going on for a long time. I think that chess joining esports is just another step in that direction, but we were already moving there.”

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is still very much considered the home of classic chess but its CEO Emil Sutovsky tells CNN Sports that the game’s governing body is supportive of the esports partnership.

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He says FIDE was involved in early conversations with the EWCF, before Chess.com became the natural partner on which to stage the EWC.

“We are not, let’s say, just silent witness to what’s happening,” Sutovsky says.

“FIDE has a dual position. Not all the chess events have to go under FIDE, as long as it’s not the World Championships, and for us it’s important that if chess has a way to expose itself to wider audiences, the new partnerships, the new commercial entities, then that’s very much welcome because the entire chess community is going to benefit.”

Like Caruana, though, Sutovsky says FIDE will always look to uphold the values of classical chess and will not lose touch with the game’s core traditions.

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He also says that Saudi Arabia could well start hosting more top FIDE events in the not too distant future, in order to reach wider and youngster audiances.

“While trying to be zeitgeisty and popular, we cannot and shall not neglect the unique tradition and what is essence of chess,” he adds.

“We do not believe that classical chess will die out anytime soon, and we will certainly not try to contribute to that.”

Start of the beginning

While the EWC will be the showcase event for chess’ foray into esports, it looks as though we’re still at the start of what could be a profitable future for both parties.

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Team Liquid’s Arhancet can see the potential and has already spoken with Chess.com about how to collaborate going forward.

He has been particularly buoyed by speaking to sponsors who find the chess demographic to be a “really attractive” prospect.

“We’re just getting started,” Arhancet promised. “For us, time will tell how profitable or successful this venture is, but early onset is that we’ve made some really great decisions on getting involved in chess at the time that we did.”

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SB Has Two Named to NFCA All-Region Team

WACO, Texas – Baylor Softball had two named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Central Region team, announced Thursday by the organization.    First baseman Shaylon Govan and left-handed pitcher Lillie Walker were both named to the third-team.    A junior from Katy, Texas, Govan led BU with a .407 batting average, seven home runs and […]

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WACO, Texas – Baylor Softball had two named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Central Region team, announced Thursday by the organization.
  
First baseman Shaylon Govan and left-handed pitcher Lillie Walker were both named to the third-team. 
 
A junior from Katy, Texas, Govan led BU with a .407 batting average, seven home runs and 28 RBIs. The 2023 and 2024 All-American leads the Big 12 in batting average, which earned her the Big 12 Batting Champion honor, while also leading the conference with her .587 on-base percentage. Setting a Baylor all-time record in career-walks with 143, she also set Baylor career records in batting average (.407) and on base percentage (.558). Govan also earned All-Big 12 first team honors for the third-straight season, Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year, and Big 12 All-Defensive Team. 
  
A graduate senior from Inola, Okla., Walker was a staple in the circle for the Bears this season, picking up second team All-Big 12 honors while ranking in the top five in conference play in wins (8), innings pitched (96.1), strikeouts (49), appearances (21), games started (15), shutouts (3) and complete games (9). This marks the graduate transfer’s first all-region honor of her career. 
 
The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association’s 10 regions with first-, second- and third-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all student-athletes now become eligible for the 2025 NFCA Division I All-America squads.
 
The 2025 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 28.
 

– BaylorBears.com –



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FAU's Baba Miller commits to Cincinnati from NCAA Transfer Portal

Wesley Hale | Imagn Images FAU’sBaba Miller has committed to Cincinnati from the NCAA Transfer Portal. That comes per reporting by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony this afternoon according to his representation. Miller has also since confirmed that news himself with a post on social media. He shared his farewell graphic to the Owls earlier today before […]

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FAU's Baba Miller commits to Cincinnati from NCAA Transfer Portal

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3fUsZC_117z9Zka00
Wesley Hale | Imagn Images

FAU’sBaba Miller has committed to Cincinnati from the NCAA Transfer Portal. That comes per reporting by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony this afternoon according to his representation.

Miller has also since confirmed that news himself with a post on social media. He shared his farewell graphic to the Owls earlier today before posting his commitment graphic for the Bearcats.

Miller has played in Florida throughout his three-year collegiate career with this past season spent at Florida Atlantic after the two prior at Florida State. He has averaged 8.5 points (47.1% FG), 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, in 82 games played with 68 starts, for the Owls and Seminoles. He had a career-best season this past year as a junior at 11.3 points (48.6% FG), 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks for FAU, which earned him a selection as Second Team All-AAC.

Miller, a native of Mallorca, came from overseas as a Top-200 recruit and a three-star in the 2022 cycle. He also rated just outside the Top-30 at power forward in the class. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Now, in his second transfer in as many offseasons, Miller was one of the top players still available in the portal. He, per the latest update to On3’s Industry Ranking of 2025’s Top Transfer Portal Players, ranked at No. 106 and as a Top-20 PF.

This report will be updated further

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

The post FAU’s Baba Miller commits to Cincinnati from NCAA Transfer Portal appeared first on On3.

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Friday’s Game Against Kansas Moved Up to 5 p.m.

Story Links MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Due to expected inclement weather on Friday evening, Friday’s baseball game between West Virginia and Kansas has been moved up to a 5 p.m. ET first pitch. Fans with tickets for Friday’s game can use that ticket for the earlier start time or can exchange it for a […]

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Due to expected inclement weather on Friday evening, Friday’s baseball game between West Virginia and Kansas has been moved up to a 5 p.m. ET first pitch.

Fans with tickets for Friday’s game can use that ticket for the earlier start time or can exchange it for a ticket of equal or lesser value to Saturday’s regular-season finale at the Kendrick Family Ballpark ticket windows, the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum or by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME. Exchanged ticket seat location is subject to availability.

 

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 





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Jenna Lord and Teagan Ritchie Named NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region

Story Links LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charlotte Softball infielders Jenna Lord and Teagan Ritchie were named NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region after two very strong seasons for the Niners.  Jenna Lord, who started all 57 games at third base, earned 2nd Team All-Region honors after stringing together one of the greatest single seasons in Charlotte Softball history. […]

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charlotte Softball infielders Jenna Lord and Teagan Ritchie were named NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region after two very strong seasons for the Niners. 

Jenna Lord, who started all 57 games at third base, earned 2nd Team All-Region honors after stringing together one of the greatest single seasons in Charlotte Softball history. Lord batted .410 with 12 doubles, three triples, and 21 homers. Lord ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in both home runs and total bases, with 154. She also now holds the Charlotte Softball single-season record for RBI with 62 and slugging with a slugging percentage of .865. 

Teagan Ritchie, who started all 57 games at shortstop, earned 3rd Team All-Region honors after a phenomenal season at the plate. Ritchie batted .306 in 173 at-bats and hit 17 homers and 12 doubles. Ritchie had the second-highest slugging percentage on the team at .682 and had an on-base percentage of nearly .400. 

This is the first NFCA All-Region honors for both Lord and Ritchie.  

FOLLOW THE TEAM

Stay up to date with everything Charlotte Softball by following the team on X (Formerly Twitter) @CharlotteSB and Instagram and Facebook @CharlotteSoftball.



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Possible Trump Executive Order on NIL Reform Would Face Legal Challenges | Venable LLP

After meeting with former University of Alabama football coach and seven-time national champion Nick Saban, President Trump is considering forming a college sports commission and issuing an executive order to establish national standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL)—an umbrella term that includes how college athletes can earn compensation based on their personal brand and […]

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After meeting with former University of Alabama football coach and seven-time national champion Nick Saban, President Trump is considering forming a college sports commission and issuing an executive order to establish national standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL)—an umbrella term that includes how college athletes can earn compensation based on their personal brand and public recognition.

Saban expressed concerns about the current NIL landscape creating an uneven playing field among schools due to disparities in financial resources, especially among powerhouse programs, as well as inconsistencies in NIL laws across different states. Trump was receptive to Saban’s concerns. However, an executive order seeking NIL regulations faces challenges.

For example, many states have enacted their own NIL laws, which are rooted in state right-of-publicity laws. So far, state NIL laws have been very generous toward athletes and have generally removed restrictions on the amount an athlete may earn from NIL. There are currently no federal right-of-publicity laws, and there is no sign that Congress will pass legislation that will explicitly preempt state NIL laws. Thus, an executive order from the Trump administration would at most help set national guidelines for NIL—it would not have the power to override state laws that conflict with those guidelines.

Similarly, an executive order limiting NIL might conflict with state labor and employment laws. For example, in the closely watched Johnson v. NCAA case pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, athletes are pursuing employee status not only under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), but also under various state wage laws in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York. An executive order limiting NIL compensation would have no authority to preempt or alter these state-specific laws, which are governed by each state’s legal framework.

Additionally, Title IX might be implicated by an executive order regulating NIL. Title IX mandates that male and female athletes at federally funded educational institutions receive equitable treatment in benefits and opportunities. While NIL compensation is typically provided through private deals, this will change under the proposed House v. NCAA settlement if approved, which will allow schools to make payments directly to athletes. If an executive order is perceived to result in any sex-based disparities in school-facilitated NIL or revenue-sharing opportunities, it could trigger legal challenges under Title IX.

A Trump Executive Order Goes Only So Far

NCAA president Charlie Baker has publicly expressed openness to executive action. However, an executive order from the Trump administration will not provide the NCAA with what it truly desires—an antitrust exemption from Congress. The NCAA has long sought an antitrust exemption from Congress that would have the potential to shield it from antitrust litigation, a necessary step to preserve the NCAA’s notion of “amateurism.” Courts have grown increasingly skeptical of the NCAA’s efforts to preserve amateurism, as seen with the outcomes of landmark cases such as O’Bannon v. NCAA and NCAA v. Alston. These cases reflect a broader judicial trend toward scrutinizing NCAA policies under traditional antitrust principles. By obtaining an antitrust exemption, the NCAA could effectively remove these questions from judicial review, placing the authority to define and validate its amateurism framework in the hands of Congress.

An executive order from the Trump administration is better than nothing, but it still leaves the NCAA exposed. An executive order can direct federal agencies, shape enforcement priorities, and clarify regulatory interpretations, but it cannot override existing laws, such as the Sherman Antitrust Act. In other words, even if an executive order expressed support for the NCAA’s amateurism model and restricted NIL compensation, it would have no binding effect on the judiciary. Courts will still be obligated to apply the Sherman Act as written.

In short, while there may be compelling reasons to attempt to bring order to the complex world of college athlete compensation, addressing NIL through an executive order is likely to face significant challenges, particularly if it fails to account for the intricate legal and regulatory issues underlying the current system. And it likely will not bring an end to the NCAA’s legal challenges.



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Insider Hard Checks Talk of Mizzou Offering JJ Andrews The Biggest NIL Bag

photo credit: Craven Whitlow / Nick Wenger When you get down to it, the decision of JJ Andrews is a Rorschach test. Except, in this case, there almost certainly will only be two reactions. If the blue-chip talent out of Little Rock Christian dons a cardinal red cap on Thursday at 4 p.m. during his […]

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Dennis Gates, JJ Andrews, Arkansas basketball, Missouri basketball, Arkansas vs Missouri
photo credit: Craven Whitlow / Nick Wenger

When you get down to it, the decision of JJ Andrews is a Rorschach test.

Except, in this case, there almost certainly will only be two reactions. If the blue-chip talent out of Little Rock Christian dons a cardinal red cap on Thursday at 4 p.m. during his commitment announcement, the Arkansas basketball faithful will see his decision as a vindication for loyalty to one’s native land and further evidence that John Calipari is the greatest recruiter the game has ever seen.

If the junior instead chooses to go with Missouri, then Lord have mercy. It would be like the Malik Monk racket all over again. Instead, this time, the legacy recruit’s Razorback football star relative would be a father and not an older brother.

The amount of angst generated by JJ Andrews going to Mizzou would be like the very bowels of hell opening up across the land, with the Razorback faithful dropping to their knees, hands and eyes heavenward, their lips quivering. “Oh why? How could this happen?”

JJ Andrews and Missouri

The first answer is easy enough: relationships.

Andrews plays for the Bradly Beal Elite AAU program based out of St. Louis. It’s produced both future Razorbacks (Moses Moody, Nick Smith Jr.) and future Tigers (Jeremiah Tilmon) over the years, and naturally Andrews would have made connections in the state of Missouri basketball circles over the last couple years. Plus, he already knows fellow Little Rock native Annor Boateng, the former LR Central star who just finished his first season in Columbia rotting away on the bench.

“He’s really enjoyed the process of them developing his game and learning different ways to just become a better overall person, not only a player,” Andrews told Mizzou Today’s Drew King after his official visit in September. 

On that same trip, he enthused about Mizzou basketball coach Dennis Gates and the staff: “I got the feeling of family there … (Gates is) definitely a person who views family over basketball. From what I’ve heard from the players, he’ll check on you, make sure you’re good.”

Historically, relationships and proximity have probably ranked the top reasons for recruits choosing one specific program over another. While Arkansas basketball fans wouldn’t like it, they could at least swallow such an old-fashioned cause of defeat. It’s understandable enough, especially since Malik Monk already ripped off the bandaid 10 years ago by jilting Arkansas for Kentucky because, in part, he simply wanted to ball out with his buddy De’Aaron Fox.

The second biggest motive for elite recruits is one that didn’t enter the equation with Malik Monk: heaps and heaps of over-the-table money.

In the 2024-25 season, incoming freshmen ranked in the top 30 nationally like Andrews would often command in the upper six digits in NIL compensation, according to various sources.

But going into the 2025-26 season, those amounts have surged upward, fueled by a veritable shopping spree on the part of deep-pocketed donors looking to spend their budgets before the pending revenue sharing likely curtails the degree to which NIL money will factor into future recruits’ decisions.

Even though Andrews still has another year of high school left, state law permits him to enter NIL deals so long as he’s accepted into an Arkansas university or college.

In other words, the 17-year-old Andrews chose the right time to be born. He projects to make much more than On3’s valuation here:

No question, he’s fielded nice NIL offers from Arkansas and Mizzou. Insiders, however, appear torn on which side is likely offering more.

Pig Trail Nation’s Kevin McPherson, for instance, got a tip that indicates Mizzou is the clear leader here.

On his Tuesday HogvilleNET live show, he said somebody with ties to the Bradley Beal Elite program told him that Mizzou had made a recent NIL offer that is the highest Andrews has received. “I wasn’t given specifics other than their lead in that and that the [Mizzou] coaching staff over there feels good that he’s going to be a Missouri tiger,” McPherson added. (247Sports’ Eric Bossi recently also forecasted Andrews to Missouri.)

Arkansas basketball insider Bart Reid, meanwhile, has heard all the trending Andrews-to-Missouri talk, but doesn’t think recent developments are enough to push Arkansas off its perch as the favorite in this recruitment.

His perspective comes from years as a skills development coach in the state, working with the likes of Jaylin Williams, Layden Blocker, Terrion Burgess and Boateng. 

Arkansas Basketball Insider Knows Specific NIL Details

“I know what Annor was being paid and I know what Missouri was paying some of their other recruits coming in. I was a little bit involved in that process,” Reid told “Drivetime Sports” co-host Randy Rainwater on Wednesday.

“I also know what the Razorbacks have paid [recruits],” he added on the Buzz 103.7 FM show. “The disparity between what I think Arkansas would be willing to pay JJ versus what Mizzou is currently paying their top guys coming in, it wouldn’t be on the same threshold. I’m not saying [Mizzou] wouldn’t match that, but I’m saying in dollars and cents, there’s a gap Mizzou would have to make up for.”

This certainly goes against the grain of thinking on Andrews’ situation. “Arkansas has had the inside track on JJ,” Reid continued. “If they did something to lose it, I am not seeing it. I still think it’s Arkansas’s race to lose.”

Don’t relax too much, though, Arkansas fans. Later he added: “But Mizzou could come in tonight and offer a staggering amount of money.”

The Arkansas basketball program, for sure, has a larger warchest than that of Mizzou. In CBS’ reporting last month, Matt Norlander listed Arkansas as one of eight programs with a $10+ million NIL budget and didn’t even bring up Mizzou in the tier below that. 

But in Fayetteville, the pie also gets sliced in a different way. The Hogs bring on board more four- and five-star recruits each year than most other programs, including Mizzou. That may mean it can’t pay one individual four-star who ranks as the program’s third-highest ranked recruit as much as a program where that guy is the top-ranked recruit.

No matter what happens, fair or not, you can be sure JJ Andrews’ college choice will be seen through the lens of loyalty vs lucre.

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UPDATE:

Elite Basketball Recruits from Arkansas

Here’s a look at where four- and five-star recruits from Arkansas over the past 15 years (2010-25), according to the 247Sports Composite, have ended up signing…

2025

  • Isaiah Sealy — Springdale — No. 74 — Arkansas

2024

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More from McPherson on Missouri offering JJ the biggest bag starting at 14:40 here:

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Ronnie Brewer discusses how Arkansas basketball handles NIL talks with players at the 2:06:10 mark below:

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More coverage of Arkansas basketball, Arkansas vs Missouri and JJ Andrews from BoAS…



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