FAYETTEVILLE — Malique Ewin will seek an extra year of eligibility, but the center won't play for Arkansas basketball next season
Ewin intends to enter the transfer portal, a source told the Southwest Times Record. He still needs a waiver from the NCAA to extend his eligibility, and he is seeking a similar exception that Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia received after spending one season at the junior college level. Ewin played for South Plains Community College during the 2023-24 campaign.
In his one season with the Razorbacks, Ewin averaged 9.8 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field. He was the first reserve off the bench in most games, backing up center Nick Pringle.
However, Ewin started all three games in the NCAA Tournament as Pringle dealt with a right hamstring injury. He averaged 12.6 points and 9.7 rebounds during the Hogs' run to the Sweet 16.
Ewin's departure leaves another hole in the Arkansas frontcourt. The Hogs are set to lose Ewin, Pringle and Trevon Brazile. That trio was Arkansas' core rotation of big men.
The only big men projected on the roster at this time are Cooper Bowser and Paulo Semedo. Bowser is a Furman transfer who averaged 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 76.6% from the floor in 2025-26. He also posted 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.6 steals per game.
Semedo will be a redshirt freshman next season. He did not play in his first year on Arkansas' campus.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball's Malique Ewin intends to enter transfer portal
