After kicking off its 2021 class over the weekend thanks to Chance Moore’s commitment, Arkansas remained hot on the trail. On Wednesday, Navarro College standout Akol Mawein gave his own verbal commitment to the Hawgs.
“Arkansas is somewhere I’ve been around for two years and the love of the state is like no other. The fans are loyal and they love you no matter what,” Mawein told Rivals.com about his decision. “With David Patrick there, too, he’s like a mentor to me. He’s always been looking out for me since I was in high school. He is someone that I can ask anything about and he’s also someone that can be there whenever I need something.”
A 6-foot-9 power forward that brings great size, length, and versatility to the floor, Mawein was born in South Sudan but grew up in Australia. After graduating from Southwest Christian Academy, in Little Rock, Mawein enrolled at Navarro where he averaged 13.5 points and five rebounds this past winter, while making close to 33-percent of his perimeter tries.
Mawein was committed to recently named Arkansas assistant David Patrick’s employer three times in the past before picking the Hawgs today. Whether it was at LSU, TCU or then UC-Riverside, each spot was one that Mawein would have flourished at, just as what should be the case now that he is headed to Fayetteville next fall, where he will then have two full years of eligibility.
Bringing toughness and a motor to the court, Mawein can produce whenever the speed of the game picks up in which he is a quality athlete at the basket. He can also create for himself off of the rip-and-go, yet has a good enough perimeter jumper to keep defenses honest in the half-court. He is a solid track down shot blocker that can guard more than just one spot and has the chance to impact the SEC program from the get-go.
Arkansas now sits with two commitments in the 2021 class that is Mawein and Moore. An onslaught of graduations and early NBA departures could hit the program in the spring which only means more work must be done by Eric Musselman and his staff, whether it is comes via the high school route or transfer portal.
