At 5'11" Fortson is unbelievably good at getting his shot off at the rim.

[k.c.hawg]

I've been watching this game 40 plus years and it is rare to see a guy his size as effective as he is at the basket. Looking at his HS/AAU video you could see he had a great ability to use his body to protect his shot. Now seeing him at the next level I'm amazed at times when he gets his shot off...the ball comes from every angle...the body is always into the defender and somehow he always gets enough separation to get his shot off. I can't recall a single shot being blocked in the games that have been televised. It will get a little tougher against OU and the Griffins, and Texas with a lot of bigs but to this point I find myself with my mouth hanging open. As his reputation and tape gets around I fully expect to see a lot more of the ball coming out to cutters coming from the help defense side for easy dunks. Washington, Henry, Sanchez and eventually Moore and Jones are going to get a lot of easy shots because every gameplan is going to start with "we have to stop Fortson's penetration"

[Beaverfever]

Yeah everytime I watch CF take it down low I think, "uh oh he's about to eat that basketball" and it never happens.  He leverages his body so well. 

[deucea729]

Courtney is our best player, with apologies to MWash.  I am reminded so much of Corey Beck with his hard-nosed all-around game that it's not even funny.

Remember - Corey Beck is the only PG ever to bring a national title home for us.  Not saying Fortson is at that level yet, but I'm just sayin'...

[want2be]

Fortson is tough, both on penetrating and going for rebounds.

Better teams are going to figure out that he almost always goes to his left...If they shut off is left dribble he won't be able to make those moves to the right. Combine that and a 265lb center making him pay, and he may  back off some of those hard drives. If these things happen, he will start looking more for the open man outside. I imagine Oklahoma will be his first test against some men in the middle.

[3kgthog]

Our guys have to start catching the ball. CF hit several of them right in the chest with no look passes and they dropped them on easy scoring opportunities.

[hoggystyle78]

I've been really impressed with Fortson's play so far, as well as M. Washington and Rotnei Clark and a couple of our other big men. These guys seem to play as a team very well. I can't wait until they get more experience. I'm sure we'll know more after playing Zero U and the T-sippers, but so far I've been pleasantly surprised. And, IMO if Fortson keeps playing like he has so far and progresses he has a chance to be the best PG we've had since Beck, he may turn out to be better than Corey, although it's a little too soon to say that yet. But you can sure tell the difference in the flow of the offense when he's running the point.

[southeasthog]

Courtney is our best player, with apologies to MWash.  I am reminded so much of Corey Beck with his hard-nosed all-around game that it's not even funny.

Remember - Corey Beck is the only PG ever to bring a national title home for us.  Not saying Fortson is at that level yet, but I'm just sayin'...

Fortson has a ways to go to be the leader Beck was. If, and that it a big if, he stays for 3 or 4 years, he will leave as the best PG Arkansas has ever had. Could you imagine if he gets the talent around him that Beck had?

On a side note. IMO Mayberry was the best PG we have had. Miller's injury is the reason that we didn't get a chance at our first NC. 

[jschulte]

Fortson has a ways to go to be the leader Beck was. If, and that it a big if, he stays for 3 or 4 years,

I think he is a little too short to leave.  Talent wise is most definitely there... but he doesn't have the body for others to be interested.

[Corkscrew Johnson]

Fortson has a ways to go to be the leader Beck was. If, and that it a big if, he stays for 3 or 4 years, he will leave as the best PG Arkansas has ever had. Could you imagine if he gets the talent around him that Beck had?

On a side note. IMO Mayberry was the best PG we have had. Miller's injury is the reason that we didn't get a chance at our first NC. 

100% correct

[Corkscrew Johnson]

Fortson has a ways to go to be the leader Beck was. If, and that it a big if, he stays for 3 or 4 years, he will leave as the best PG Arkansas has ever had. Could you imagine if he gets the talent around him that Beck had?

On a side note. IMO Mayberry was the best PG we have had. Miller's injury is the reason that we didn't get a chance at our first NC. 

actually, 95% correct.  Arlyn Bowers' injury is the reason we didn't get a chance at our first NC

[TRUHOG718]

Fortson will be the best point guard to ever play in a razorback uniform if he continues to allow himself to get better. Sometimes when your the best person on the court its hard to challenge yourself.   thats IMO of course.

[TRUHOG718]

If we get a capable center next year we will be one of the best teams in the SEC.

[Hogimus Prime]

actually, 95% correct.  Arlyn Bowers' injury is the reason we didn't get a chance at our first NC

you guys are both right. if Bowers and Big O dont get hurt we beat Kansas, steam roll UNC and pistol whip Duke for our first National title.


Fortson has Reid's quickness, Beck's mentality and is making this his team.

[Smithian]

If we get a capable center next year we will be one of the best teams in the SEC.

If Michael Washington plays like this in SEC play(Which is ALOT to ask), he could challenge for SEC Player of the Year.

[hview]

I didn't think we would see the team chemistry coming together this quickly. I can't wait to see how this team matches up against OK. Fortson seems to have raised his level of play with each game and with him you see another Freshmen beginning to rise to the challenge.   

[donewithdale]

Kareem Reid had the same ability to get a shot off underneath without defenders getting a hand on it.  But I know, the great talent evaluators here like to bash him.

[Hogimus Prime]

Kareem Reid had the same ability to get a shot off underneath without defenders getting a hand on it.  But I know, the great talent evaluators here like to bash him.

i liked Reid.   i really think if he'd played on the 94-95 team we would've repeated as National Champions.   he would've added the depth in the backcourt that team lacked and been a change of pace point guard.

[leavenworth1]

Does anyone have a link to some video of Fortson and the rest of the team from this year?  I live out of state (haven't seen the team play yet this year) and can't find a single highlight video online.  Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all.

[k.c.hawg]

If you go to this link:
http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=204548

And then click on sample video it will pull up the media player for Razorvision. Each game has a highlight reel that is not considered premium content and will allow non subscribers to watch. Most of the BB games will be on page 1 or page 2. Actual game replays have premium stamped on their header but if you read the captions you can determine which ones are highlights.

[TRUHOG718]

Kareem Reid had the same ability to get a shot off underneath without defenders getting a hand on it.  But I know, the great talent evaluators here like to bash him.

Good friend and classmate of mine. I still say Im the reason he went to Arkansas but Im not gonna get into that. He never had a jumpshop though. The day Nolan Richardson walked into my high school gym with the likes of coach K and a few others when "Reem" as we call him was gonna pick schools I damn near pissed my pants.
FYI he's still got mad game.