FAYETTEVILLE -- Bobby Portis was a sufficiently big man at the Nike Skills Big Man camp in June to be invited to the LeBron James Skills Academy camp but not so big for James to divulge his intentions to move back to the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Miami Heat.
Arkansas 6-11 sophomore forward Portis from Little Rock Hall and 6-6 junior guard/forward Michael Qualls from Shreveport, La., both were at the James camp during his free-agent decision time when the Ohio native chose to return to Cleveland for whom he played before choosing his free-agent path to Miami.
"I asked him a couple of times where he was going and he didn't say anything to me," Portis recalled, smiling Monday at Walton Arena. "He was like, 'Keep it moving young fella. Keep it moving young fella.' He just took a couple of pictures and that was it."
Portis described James as "hilarious to be around" and "an outgoing person" but said the camp was about learning about ball rather than hanging with celebrities.
It's important, Portis said, that he takes what he learned from the Nike camp in June and the July 8-12 James camp to help the Razorbacks, and for Qualls to do the same from his Kevin Durant camp in June and the James camp.
"Me and Mike need to come back and be leaders to our basketball team," Portis said. "Because up there every person who was at that camp is a leader to their team. I felt that was something we lacked last year in certain situations was having a leader out there on the floor."
Grown to 6-11, he learned when measured during the camps, Portis said he sees big big-man improvements in himself and fellow sophomore letterman and former AAU teammate Moses Kingsley, 6-10, for the coming season and has been impressed with the summer work of 6-9 incoming freshman Trey Thompson of Forrest City.
"I have played with Trey and I like Trey," Portis said. "He is a big body down there and I think Trey will help me out a lot during the season because he is another 6-9, 6-10 kid. Last year, coach didn't really play two 6-10s or two 6-9s. So now I think this year we will get a chance to see me and Moses, or Trey and Moses, or Trey and me."
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said the benefits to Portis and Qualls from their camps not only help them but "the exposure" helps the entire program.
Anderson also was asked about the scholarship newcomers working out the with Hogs this summer, Thompson and point guards Anton Beard, a freshman and North Little Rock alum, and Jabril Durham, a Dallas native transferring as a junior from Seminole State (Okla.) Junior College, and incoming freshman shooting guard Nick Babb.
Regarding Thompson's summer, Anderson said, "Coming out of high school, he's playing with guys that he probably blocked their shots with his armpits. So now he's going against some bigger bodies and a lot faster, quicker. There are some days where he struggles with that and there are some days when he picks his moment where he's kind of stepping up. He's being exposed to some bigger bodies."
They are bigger bodies but, to Thompson, apparently not intimidating bodies.
"One thing I love about him, he won't back down," Anderson said. "He has a great pair of hands, soft hands, good footwork. He's got a motor. He wants to be a good player and can really rebound the basketball. And a tremendous, tremendous passer. He's just going to get better."
Anderson said the presence of true point guards Durham and Beard should help senior Ky Madden of Lepanto and East Poinsett County working more as a two-guard than overworked on the point as he was last season.
Adam Pettway, an assistant strength coach, was promoted to head strength coach, Anderson said, replacing David Dietz, Anderson's strength coach both at Missouri and his three previous years at Arkansas before recently resigning to start his own business.
"The thing I liked about Adam is his passion, his drive," Anderson said. "He's got a tremendous relationship with our guys."
Sports on 07/29/2014