University of Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman received the signatures of 4-star prospects Chance Moore and Akol Mawein on Wednesday, the first of the early signing period.
Moore, a 6-5, 192-pound wing from Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern, chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from LSU, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Florida, Ole Miss, Clemson, South Carolina and others.
He and his family had a live signing ceremony on Zoom. Sitting with mother Julie Fincher, father John Moore and stepfather Eddie Fincher -- and with country music star Chris Stapleton's song "Arkansas" playing in the background -- Moore thanked his parents, trainer, coach and others for helping him get to this point.
"I'll continue my education and will play basketball for the University of Arkansas," Moore said. "It really means a lot. I've put in a lot of work to get to this point. One of my many goals is checked off."
Moore has several more lofty goals in mind.
"One of my main goals is winning a state championship this year in my high school season, and then for college it's making the NCAA Tournament," Moore said. "All-freshman first team. Obviously win a championship there. Just win. Then eventually make it to the NBA."
Moore was the second player to sign with Arkansas during the early signing period that began Wednesday. Navarro (Texas) College 4-star forward Akol Mawein signed shortly before Moore.
Moore is ranked the No. 9 small forward and No. 44 overall prospect for the 2021 class. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA adopted a dead period that forbid prospects from making unofficial or official visits to college campuses.
Moore and his father visited Fayetteville on Aug. 8 without the benefit of visiting with the coaches and touring the facilities. He committed to the Hogs that same day after being impressed with the people he met.
"I really like the campus and the feel for the town," Moore said. "Everybody was very welcoming. They didn't even know what I was there for because you couldn't technically take visits to colleges. It was like a regular tour type thing, and they were all very nice.
"It put them over the top because I had already seen the facilities and talked to the coaches on Zoom. It was actually just going out there and when I saw everything, it really put them over the top. That's when they got me."
He communicated with Musselman, associate head coach David Patrick, and assistants Corey Williams and Clay Moser. He also exchanged text messages with director of basketball operations Anthony Ruta.
"Coach Muss and his staff brings NBA experience," Moore said. "They know what it takes to get there. They can push me. I really like his coaching style and playing style. I think it fits well with my game. I feel like if I really buy into the system he can really push me to be a better player so I can reach the NBA."
ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi said Moore can score in several ways.
"Scoring guard that gets to the rim," Biancardi said. "I think he has a good balance between shooting it and making shots and driving it. That's what I like about him the most. He's a good rebounding guard, too. He works the glass with his size."
Moore is the fifth ESPN top 100 prospect to sign with Arkansas since Musselman was hired in April 2019. The Razorbacks signed four top 100 prospects for the 2020 class -- guards Moses Moody, Khalen Robinson and Davonte Davis, and forward Jaylin Williams.
Moore visited LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida State before the pandemic. A couple of schools still pursued Moore after his pledge to the Hogs.
"I just told them I'm staying firm in my decision," he said.
Mawein, 6-10, 240, of Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, is rated a 4-star recruit by 247, the No. 1 power forward and No. 4 junior-college prospect.
"It is just an exciting time, and I feel like Arkansas is the right place for me at the right time," Mawein said. "I think everything has just fallen into place, and I am very happy I am going to be a part of what they are doing there. I feel very excited to be part of an amazing program."
Navarro Coach Grant McMillan believes Arkansas is getting a great one.
"I think they are getting one of, if not the best, junior-college players in the country this year," McMillan said. "He is a guy that can really score the ball, a really gifted scorer."
Mawein and his family moved from South Sudan to Egypt to Australia for a better life before he made his way to the United States, where he played his sophomore season at Montverde Academy in Florida.
He then landed in Little Rock at Southwest Christian Academy as a junior and senior while also playing for Arkansas-based Woodz Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Patrick, who's from Australia, received a pledge from Mawein while the head coach of California-Riverside prior to Patrick assuming his new position at Arkansas on July 1. Mawein reopened his recruitment July 8.
Mawein also will be reunited with Razorback freshman guard Davonte Davis and former UALR forward Kamani Johnson, who's transferring to Arkansas in January. He and Davis were Woodz Elite teammates, while he and Johnson played together at Montverde.
"That's going to be cool to have some guys already there that I know," Mawein said. "I'm excited and can't wait to get up there. I trust coach Patrick, who is a great person and a great coach."
He averaged 13.5 points, 5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a freshman for Navarro while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 32.8% beyond the three-point line and 62.4% from the free-throw line.
Musselman was thrilled to add Moore and Mawein to the program.
"Chance being able to play the two or the three with great athleticism, really good length," Musselman said. "He's really played well of late. The thing is the entire family -- Julie and John, and then Eddie his stepfather -- all of the family was so excited to be a part of Arkansas. They jumped all in. They asked a lot of really, really good questions."
"[Mawein], obviously his relationship with coach Patrick. You talk about a 6-foot-10, 240-pound player who's got really, really good versatility playing inside and out. I think he's ranked as the No. 1 power forward by a couple different outlets as far as junior college goes. He's got the local ties, as well, having played here in the past.
"So we're excited about both of those guys."
The Hogs aren't expected to sign anyone else during the early signing period that ends Nov. 18.
Fort Smith Northside guard Jersey Wolfenbarger, an ESPN 5-star recruit, headlined Arkansas women's basketball Coach Mike Neighbors recruiting class.
Wolfenbarger, 6-5, signed with the Razorbacks over more than 30 scholarship offers from schools such as Oregon, Oregon State, Baylor, Southern Cal, Texas, Notre Dame and others. ESPN also ranks her the No. 1 wing and the No. 7 overall prospect.
Guard Samara Spencer, 5-7, of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; guard Ashlyn Sage, 6-2, of Weatherford, Okla.; and post player Emrie Ellis, 6-2, of Ada (Okla.) Vanoss also signed.
Ellis and Sage are rated 4-star prospects by Prospects Nation, while ESPN rates Samara a 3.5-star recruit.