Razorbacks recruiting: 2025 & 2026 visitors catch big games, big wins for Hoop Hogs from October through December

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — Nearly three months through the 2023-24 campaign (October preseason plus November and most of December regular season) with three more months to go (January, February, and March), the enigmatic Arkansas Razorbacks put their collective best foot forward in games when recruiting targets, including some of the highest priority, were in the house to catch the Hoop Hogs in action.

Upwards of 15 or so recruits representing the 2025 and 2026 classes — including a couple of 5-star Hog targets — passed through the doors of Barnhill Arena and Bud Walton Arena (both on campus in Fayetteville) as well as Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock for Arkansas games as part of their Razorbacks recruitment, and during an up-and-down season to this point the 8-4 Hogs managed to WIN each contest when the largest gatherings of recruits were courtside watching.

It started with the Red/White intra-squad scrimmage at Barnhill in early October (an 88-70 Red team win) followed by a charity exhibition game against then-No. 3-and-now-No. 1 Purdue at BWA in late October (an 81-77 Hogs win in overtime) followed by a regular-season tilt in the first-ever ACC/SEC Challenge against then-No. 7 Duke at BWA in late November (an 80-75 Hogs win) followed by a regular-season contest against Lipscomb at Simmons Bank Arena in mid-December (a 69-66 Hogs win).

Here’s the list of recruits who attended those games …

Red/White intra-squad scrimmage

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 50 / 4-star Isaiah Sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Aidan Chronister (6-7 wing, Rogers)

Purdue exhibition game

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 35 / 4-star Terrion Burgess (6-9 combo forward, Benton)
– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 50 / 4-star Isaiah Sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Aidan Chronister (6-7 wing, Rogers)
– 2026 Hog interest Jordan Harris (6-7 wing / small forward, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Anthony Hester (6-5 wing, Little Rock Mills)
– 2026 Hog interest Tristan Jahnke (6-7 small forward, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Micah Moore (5-9 guard, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Ladaryl Robinson (6-7 forward, Marion)
– 2025 Hog interest Marcus Britt Jr. (6-3 guard, Forrest City)
– 2026 Hog interest DJ Hudson (6-7 forward, Fayetteville)

Duke game

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 35 / 4-star Terrion Burgess (6-9 combo forward, Benton)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 10 / 5-star Jalen Montonati (6-7 wing, Owasso, Okla.)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Jacob Lanier (6-6 combo guard, Maumelle)

Lipscomb game

– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 20 / 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews (6-6 wing, Little Rock Christian Academy)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Jacob Lanier (6-6 combo guard, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Anthony Hester (6-5 wing, Little Rock Mills)
– 2026 Hog interest Jordan Harris (6-7 wing / small forward, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Tristan Jahnke (6-7 small forward, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Micah Moore (5-9 guard, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Colton Spence (6-11 forward, Atlanta, TX)
– 2025 Hog interest Jayce Tillman (6-4 guard, Jacksonville)
– 2025 Hog interest Alex Orr (6-3 guard, Texarkana)

Montonati was impressed with the fan atmosphere at BWA where an announced record crowd of 20,344 helped fuel the team to the aforementioned five-point win over the ranked blueblood Duke Blue Devils on Nov. 29.

“It was my first experience in Bud Walton and it was a great game to watch,” Montonati told Hogville during a December interview. “It was probably the loudest I’ve ever heard an arena for a basketball game ever. Coach (Eric) Musselman is a great head coach and he built a great staff around him. I love the way he coaches and how intense he is. He coaches with a lot of passion and has built a great culture at Arkansas. The fans at Arkansas are amazing, they were on their feet for 95% of the game and they make Bud Walton one of the hardest places to play in the country.

“I look forward to coming back to Arkansas sometime soon. I’m wanting to learn more about the program and see where I’d fit and continue to build a relationship with the coaching staff.”

Montonati is an elite perimeter shooter at 6-7 with an elite floor IQ. He and fellow 5-star Andrews have both taken part in USA Basketball junior national team mini camps.

Lanier is knocking on the door of 5-star status in his own right, and he was able to attend both the Duke and Lipscomb contests.

“The atmosphere at the Duke game was amazing from start to finish,” Lanier told Hogville during a December interview. “I had a great time hanging out with Jalen (Montonati) and his family, going on the court, and being in the locker room. Overall, it was a great experience, and I had a lot of fun.

“At the Lipscomb game, Simmons Bank Arena was packed with Arkansas supporters. I also got to see friends, coaches, and old teammates, making the experience even better. I enjoyed both games and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Chronister was among the recruits in the house for both the Red/White and Purdue tilts.

“Arkansas vs Purdue was a great matchup,” Chronister told Hogville during an interview on Nov. 1. “It was fun to see Bud Walton sold out. My favorite parts were the key mid-range shots to put Arkansas up during the end of the game, and (Trevon) Brazile’s fastbreak dunk. It was an honor to be invited back to campus and I enjoyed the experience.

“I really appreciated the invite from Coach Musselman. Arkansas has some of the best college fans, and Bud Walton has a great atmosphere. What also stood out was the Hogs’ defense. They collapsed in the paint and eliminated the drive. It’s going to be fun to watch them this year, and I wish them the best.”

Harris had previously visited Arkansas in the summer, and he made no attempt to hide his future college preference.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Arkansas vs. Purdue basketball game,” Harris told Hogville during an interview on Nov. 1. “The game was very exciting. The crowd was very involved, and you could get hyped just from being around them. It was a very good atmosphere all around.

“I can not wait for the opportunity to one day represent my home state and play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. WOO PIG SOOIE!!!”

With 10 more homes games remaining (against North Carolina-Wilmington on Saturday followed by nine SEC tilts against the likes of Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, LSU, and Vanderbilt) the Hoop Hogs will be hosting more recruits — some of the same listed above, some new — in the second half of their season.