Despite the fact that the 2023–24 Kansas basketball season did not proceed as expected, Hunter Dickinson’s arrival made the Jayhawks the nation’s best squad going into the season. In his debut season in Lawrence, the much-heralded big from Michigan lived up to the hype, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game on his way to All-American status.In an attempt to win his first NCAA title, he will return to KU to complete his career.
Dickinson was considered one of the greatest players to ever visit the portal when he left Ann Arbor a year ago. Even with the avalanche of players that relocated this offseason, very few transfers of his caliber have become available. But some fans of college basketball think a new portal player is on par with him.The acquisition of Johnell Davis to Arkansas is comparable to Dickinson to Kansas in 2023, according to Rob Dauster of Field of 68.
“I think Arkansas getting Nelly Davis is on the same level as Kansas getting Hunter Dickinson last year.”
– Rob Dauster In 34 games as a senior, Davis—a transfer from FAU—averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. He made the decision to bring his skills to Fayetteville and work with recently hired Head Coach John Calipari as he approaches his last year of eligibility. Since appointing their new head coach, the Razorbacks have made excellent use of the transfer portal, and Davis may be the team’s top player come next season.
Even though Davis is a fantastic player, Dauster is taking a very risky guess with this one. Despite facing far tougher competition in the Big Ten, Dickinson was an incredible player from the moment he took the court. Very few, if any, players from his echelon have accessed the portal.
While Davis has only participated in one complete season as a starter, he was chosen as a freshman for the Consensus All-America Second Team. Plus, it’s more difficult to find a dominant big man like Dickinson than a high-scoring guard.
Dauster may be correct in his assessment, but Davis will find it challenging to equal Dickinson’s output in the presence of other players who prioritize scoring on the Arkansas Razorbacks. In any case, it’s likely that the Jayhawks and Razorbacks will be among the top teams in the nation when the new season begins, so maybe they’ll square off in the NCAA Tournament.
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