FAYETTEVILLE -- Khalil Garland, a 6-5 guard from Little Rock Parkview who has been unable to play for the University of Arkansas basketball team in his two seasons on campus because of an undisclosed medical condition, is staying with the Razorbacks as a student assistant coach, a UA spokesman confirmed Thursday.
The news isn't a surprise considering there had been no indication Garland would be cleared to play. He averaged 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals as a senior at Parkview and was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and 24/7Sports.com.
ARKANSAS BASKETBALL ROSTER
Adrio Bailey, 6-6, F, senior
Reggie Chaney, 6-8, F, sophomore
Jeantal Cylla, 6-7, F, senior
Jalen Harris, 6-2, G, junior
Ethan Henderson, 6-8, F, sophomore
Isaiah Joe, 6-5, G, sophomore
Mason Jones, 6-5 G, junior
Emeka Obukwelu, 6-8, F, sophomore
Gabe Osabuohien, 6-8, F, junior
JD Notae, 6-2, G, junior
Ty Stevens, 6-2, G, junior
Desi Sills, 6-1, G, sophomore
Connor Vanover, 7-3, F, sophomore
Jimmy Whitt, 6-3, G, senior
"Khalil's a great kid," Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said last month. "He's been like another coach for us both off the floor and in the locker room."
By becoming a student coach, Garland is able to remain on scholarship, but he won't count against the Razorbacks' NCAA limit of 13 for players.
According to the roster posted on Arkansas' website, the Razorbacks have 12 scholarship players.
That total excludes Garland and guard Justice Hill, a freshman guard who posted on his Twitter account Thursday that he is entering his name in the transfer portal, though he didn't rule out playing football at Arkansas.
Hill's transfer opens up a scholarship if Musselman wants to add another player to the roster for the 2019-20 season.
Jonathan Holmes, a junior guard last season and fan favorite whom former coach Mike Anderson put on scholarship for the spring semester after Jordan Phillips transferred to Texas-Arlington, no longer is on the team, a UA spokesman confirmed.
The eligible returning players on scholarship are sophomore guards Isaiah Joe and Desi Sills, junior guards Mason Jones and Jalen Harris, sophomore forwards Reggie Chaney and Ethan Henderson, junior forward Gabe Osabuohien and senior forward Adrio Bailey.
Newcomers with immediate eligibility are two senior graduate transfers -- guard Jimmy Whitt from SMU and forward Jeantal Cylla from North Carolina-Wilmington.
Arkansas is seeking a waiver from the NCAA that will allow sophomore Connor Vanover -- a 7-3 transfer from California -- to have immediate eligibility. If the waiver is denied, Vanover will have to redshirt this season.
Guard JD Notae, a junior transfer from Jacksonville (Fla.) University, will redshirt this season.
Juniors Emeka Obukewlu and Ty Stevens are walk-ons on the roster.
Also Thursday, Musselman announced that Anthony Ruta has been hired as director of basketball operations.
Ruta spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for Musselman at Nevada. He has been working at Arkansas since Mussleman was hired in March and is replacing Matt Zimmerman, who was director of operations the past three years.
Sports on 06/21/2019