In the midst of a breakout summer with Bradley Beal Elite, Layden Blocker used a break in the action for BBE to make a huge announcement that he will be staying home for college, committing to The University of Arkansas.

Layden made his official announcement on an Instagram live stream with ESPN recruiting expert Paul Biancardi.

Ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2023, Layden had offers on the table from Baylor, Kansas, Auburn and many other top basketball programs, but the combination of his connection with the staff, including coach Eric Musselman, and the school’s proximity to his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, made the choice fairly easy.

“I chose Arkansas because of the winning culture in basketball and other sports,” Blocker said told On3. “I like how Coach Muss has turned the basketball program around. He was clear on how they would use me on day one in their NBA-style system. Coach Muss and his staff do a great job preparing and developing players to get to the NBA. I chose Arkansas because it’s home.”

Layden made his visit to Arkansas earlier this month and fell in love with the way they do things, from their NBA style of play, which he hopes will help him make a seamless transition to the league, and the intensity with which they practice, he told ESPN it was just a natural fit.

“Coach Muss has coached in the NBA and he has an NBA style of play. He is a cool guy off the court. He’s intense on the court. My goal is to play in the NBA,” he said. “When I attended their practices, it was intense with high energy,” Blocker said. “I liked the atmosphere. On my visit they had an in-depth breakdown of my game and that was impressive.”

Arkansas had the No. 2 recruiting class in the Nation in 2022, according to ESPN. Layden becomes the first to commit to the Razorbacks from the Class of 2023.

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