Michael Qualls remains one of the most beloved Arkansas basketball players of the century. He burst onto the scene thanks to freakish athleticism and highlight-reel dunks. One such jam will keep him in the lore of Razorbacks hoops in perpetuity. Qualls eventually developed more than just slashing. He was an All-SEC player during a junior year in 2014-15 that saw him average 15.9 points in helping Arkansas to its first NCAA Tournament since 2008. The Hogs have been one of the best teams in the Southeastern Conference ever since.
Circumstances cut Qualls’ tenure in Fayetteville shorter than it should have been. He had a young daughter and needed to provide for her. So, Qualls left Arkansas for the NBA Draft. He wasn’t taken, though he’s played in leagues across the world since, making money for himself and his family.
If only he were 10 years younger.
Qualls left Arkansas because of finances. Players of his caliber no longer have to worry about such things. Especially not in the John Calipari era of Hogs hoops.
Karter Knox is Qualls, Walsh Redux
Karter Knox, arguably the most similar player to Qualls since he roamed the Bud Walton Arena floor, recently announced that he, too, would be exiting Fayetteville to test the NBA waters. Knox, however, will hold on to his eligibility should he find them choppy. And with what he is expected to get from NIL and, potentially, revenue sharing, returning to Arkansas would seem to be the wisest decision. In both the short and long term.
Arkansas is one 10 teams CBS Sports columnist Matt Norlander believes either has or can easily get $10 million worth of funding for their 2025-26 rosters. Knox, fresh off a first collegiate season in which he averaged 8.3 points per game, a number that doesn’t do justice to how strongly he finished on the both sides of the ball:
The Florida native would almost certainly command more with the Razorbacks his sophomore season than he would if he sticks in the draft.
Qualls could have used that pot of gold at the end of the retention rainbow. So, too, could have Jordan Walsh, another player similar to Knox and Qualls, albeit with less perceived athleticism. Walsh left after one season in Fayetteville and was taken in the second round by the Celtics. Walsh, now in his second year in a four-year deal in Boston, is making $1.891 million.
NBA Hoops Waits For Knox…If He Waits
Knox is not listed in any reputable NBA mock draft as being selected, never mind as a first-round pick. If he were taken, it would be in the second round. NBA second-round picks who make their squad directly, not on a two-way G League contract, earn about $1.15 million in the first year of their deal. If they are designated a two-way player, that number gets cut in half.
What would another year in Fayetteville have done for Walsh if the Razorbacks had the NIL booty they now have? Instead, donors didn’t pony up for for Eric Musselman, despite three straight Sweet Sixteens, including two Elite Eights. Calipari is a Hall of Famer, but no one knew at the time he was on the radar. If Walsh had played for Arkansas in 2023-24, they don’t go 16-17 and trot out a team that lacked the kind of long, rangy physicality Walsh provided. A swing-and-miss on Ron Holland compounded that whiff. Instead, Musselman’s portal picks created the most forgettable roster in the post-John Pelphrey era and the program hit a hard reset.
Knox could benefit if he plays his cards right. It depends, of course, on his priorities. Mouth-breathers online are convinced NIL has ruined the sport. Not sure how, considering the massive talent across college basketball right now. In fact, it’s more than when Qualls played because players can stay longer and make money in college they previously had to wait until turning professional to come close to sniffing.
Arkansas Basketball Benefits Massively From NIL
The market will eventually correct. Just not yet. College basketball reporter Jeff Goodman polled 25 high-major coaches and the numbers they provided him – which, granted, are estimates – suggest a player of Knox’s caliber could be in line for the kind of money Walsh makes in his second NBA season. More, maybe, considering the depths of Arkansas’ purse. Striking while the proverbial iron is hot may be the key because the gravy train stops eventually.
If you’re an Arkansas basketball fan complaining about NIL as the harbinger of death, rethink things. Jaylin Williams left to get paid. Isaiah Joe left to get paid. If they would have been paid in Fayetteville, how good would the Hogs have been? They were national-title contenders, longshots perhaps, already, but if the Fort Smith pair stayed in Fayetteville? Mercy. In today’s world, Hogs fans don’t have to worry (as much) about their favorite players leaving for monetary reasons. Certainly the first-round types still will, but it’s the second-round type guys who often win over the hearts of the masses . There’s only so much playing time to go around. But if Arkansas is willing to spend the money, the grass should be as green as the cash.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
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