Arkansas' Fland Out for Season, NBA Dreams Await

Arkansas Razorbacks' promising freshman guard, Boogie Fland, won't be playing for the rest of the 2024-25 season due to a hand injury. According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Fland, who averaged 15. 1 points and 5. 7 assists per game, got hurt during a game against Florida on January 11. Despite playing in the next two games, his hand injury was severe enough to keep him off the court for the rest of the season. Coach John Calipari explained that Billy Richmond's fall on him during the Florida game worsened his injury. Fland, who is second only to junior Adou Thiero in scoring, entered the season as a potential star. He caught the attention of NBA scouts, with Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projecting him to be picked by the Dallas Mavericks with the 23rd spot in the 2025 draft. While his injury might affect his draft stock, he has already shown enough in the first half of the season to remain on scouts' radar. The decision to return to Arkansas for another season depends on how his draft prospects look. Given his potential for a first-round pick, it's unlikely he'll stay. Arkansas, under the new Calipari era, started strongly but struggled once conference play began, losing all five of their opening SEC games. The impact on the team is evident, as they've gone from a promising 11-2 record to a struggling 0-5 in conference play without their star freshman. The Razorbacks will have to find ways to adapt and regain their momentum without Fland.