Commitment Q&A: Layden Blocker talks Arkansas pledge
Arkansas continued to ride the tsunami of momentum it has built on the floor and the recruiting trail on Saturday, when Layden Blocker, the No. 37 prospect in the 2023 class, announced his commitment to the Razorbacks. The four-star point guard talked to Rivals.com about what motivated his decision following his public announcement.
IN HIS WORDS
ON WHY HE CHOSE ARKANSAS
“I chose Arkansas because of the winning culture they have, not only in just basketball but every sport. It’s a place to go when you want to win. I also like how Coach [Eric Musselman] turned that program around and has it going. He’s done a great job. He was clear with me from day 1 on how they want to use me and how I fit the NBA style system they run. Coach Muss is great, but so is his staff. They do a great job of developing players to get to the NBA. I chose Arkansas for all of them and because it’s home.”
ON THE LEVEL OF COMFORT IN FAYETTEVILLE
“I know a lot of the guys, mostly Nick Smith and Joseph Pinion. I’ve known those guys since I was, like, in sixth grade. I’m always listening to them when they talk.”
ON WHAT ARKANSAS LIKES MOST ABOUT HIM
“They always tell me how much they value my leadership and my speed at the point guard position. They like my ability to get downhill. They think I’m elite when it comes to getting downhill. Also, they like my ability to score and facilitate for my teammates.”
ON HIS PLAYER COMPARISON
“They didn’t compare me to JD Notae, but the coaches say that my game is similar to his in the way that I can get out in transition and facilitate for my teammates. Also, that I’m a two-way player like him.”
WHAT ARKANSAS IS GETTING: Blocker has been steadily climbing the rankings for a full year, which reflects his trajectory as a prospect, as he seems to add polish to a different aspect of his game with each passing month. People spend a lot of time talking about his quickness, but his skill as a facilitator and a rebounder have developed rapidly this year. He crashes the boards extremely well for his size and has improved drastically when it comes to making wise decisions with the ball in his hands. Blocker gets downhill in a hurry and has a reasonably reliable jumper from deep. He’s capable of impacting the game in so many ways that he doesn’t need to develop into a dead-eye three-point threat in order to thrive in the SEC. His posted a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio as a junior and shot 53 percent from the floor.