Arkansas guard Rotnei Clarke granted his release

[Matt Stephens]

A senior with one remaining year of eligibility FINALLY get his release granted. It looked like when Mike Anderson was hired, he was going to talk Clarke into staying, but nope.

I've heard of a lot of players transferring with one year of eligibility remaining after they graduate (redshirts their freshmen year) and then playing out the final season with whatever university they're going to grad school for, but this just seems odd.

What's the point?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

They shouldn't even have to have their releases granted to attend another college of their choice and to participate in that college's extracurricular activities.

 

[LongTimeListener]

A senior with one remaining year of eligibility FINALLY get his release granted. It looked like when Mike Anderson was hired, he was going to talk Clarke into staying, but nope.

I've heard of a lot of players transferring with one year of eligibility remaining after they graduate (redshirts their freshmen year) and then playing out the final season with whatever university they're going to grad school for, but this just seems odd.

What's the point?

It sounds like maybe Clarke wasn't going to be into playing defense, running the floor and splitting time -- rare was the Missouri player getting more than 25 minutes a game. If you have one year left in your life of organized basketball and the choices are to take a diminished role or find a place where you can be more comfortable and play your game, I can't say it's a bad decision to find a new spot.

Also worth a raised eyebrow that Anderson, who supposedly put off more than a few Mizzou boosters by recruiting nothing but black players, runs off his leading scorer who is a slow 6-foot white guy straight out of Hoosiers.

 

[Matt Stephens]

To be fair, the Clarke transfer talk started before Anderson was hired.

But you're right, Clarke never has been a defender, that's for sure. Him and Keiton Page of Oklahoma State were seniors in Oklahoma at the same time and the debate was always which was better. Page averaged 40+ a game and would play defense, Clarke at 35 and wouldn't. I was really hoping to see that change come college, but nope.