Arkansas Freshman Star Boogie Fland Out for Season with Hand Injury

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas freshman guard Boogie Fland, one of the nation’s top first-year players, will miss the remainder of the season due to a hand injury, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.

Fland, who suffered the injury during a game on Jan. 11, had been playing through the pain in recent weeks. However, after a season-low four-point performance against Missouri, the decision was made to shut him down for the year. Arkansas head coach John Calipari expressed concern about the injury following the Razorbacks’ loss over the weekend, stating, “His hand is pretty bad. Don’t know what we’ll do going forward. But we’ve got to make sure we get that thing right.”

The injury is a significant blow to an Arkansas team already struggling in SEC play. The Razorbacks are winless in conference games and riding a five-game losing streak. Fland had been a rare bright spot, averaging 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 36.5% from 3-point range. His standout performance in a December victory at Madison Square Garden, where he scored 20 points and dished out seven assists, highlighted his potential as a future NBA prospect. Fland is currently ranked No. 32 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings.

Without Fland, Arkansas will rely more heavily on guards Khalif Battle and Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis to handle playmaking duties. The Razorbacks, now 11-7 overall and 0-5 in the SEC, will face Georgia on Wednesday in their first game without Fland in the lineup.

Fland’s injury marks another setback for Calipari in his first season at Arkansas. The Hall of Fame coach, who left Kentucky last offseason, has struggled to find consistency with his new squad. The Razorbacks rank No. 91 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, a metric that could worsen without Fland’s scoring ability.

The freshman guard’s timeline was first reported by CBS Sports. Fland, a New York City native, initially committed to Kentucky but followed Calipari to Arkansas after the coach’s move to Fayetteville. His season-ending injury comes just as the Razorbacks were hoping to turn their fortunes around in SEC play.