Courtney Fortson’s Arkansas career is over.  BP Sports Management of Atlanta announced Wednesday evening that Fortson is now among its roster of clients.

Charles Briscoe, who also lists former Razorbacks Stef Welsh and Mike Washington among his clients, will represent the sophomore guard.

Also:

• Bob Holt: Fortson signs with agent

Updated 4/21/10 10:30 p.m.

Previously:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Fortson declares for NBA Draft, does not hire agent
• Brandon Marcello: Fortson enters name in NBA Draft without agent
• Razorback Nation (Video): Fortson Declares for NBA Draft, Does Not Hire Agent

Updated 4/18/10 11:30 p.m.

This is a developing story that will be updated soon.  You can also get the latest breaking Razorback news by following @RazorBloggers on Twitter.

Arkansas junior forward Michael Washington has made himself available for the 2009 NBA Draft, but he has not signed with an agent, head coach John Pelphrey announced.

Also:

• Ryan Malashock: Washington Declares Without Agent
• Bob Holt: Washington will test NBA Draft waters
• Nate Allen: Washington to test NBA Draft status before hiring agent

Updated 4/18/09 10:35 a.m.

– Last spring, we mentioned how injured Razorback football players were kept involved during practice:

One noticeable change from practice in previous years is that there are drill periods followed by scrimmage periods…followed by drill periods followed by scrimmage periods.  No resting…no group water breaks…no sympathy if you tweak something.

If you’re an injured player, you were on an exercise bike over in a corner of the field.  No one was just ‘hanging around’ on the sidelines.

Alex Abrams of The Morning News wrote a interesting article over the weekend about how those injured player workouts can also involve wailing away on a punching bag or dragging a tackling sled uphill with a rope.

Hmmm…still think being a college athlete is the glamorous life?

– Believe it or not, this Razorback team predicted by many (but not us!) to finish last in the SEC West received 14 votes when the preseason AP poll was released on Saturday.

Technically, that means the Hogs are ranked 37th in the poll (tied with North Carolina).  By comparison, that’s only six spots lower than they were ranked before a 10-win season in 2006.  Just sayin’…

– The stories this offseason about NBA players leaving for greener ($$) pastures overseas now have a Razorback connection.  Former Hog guard Jannero Pargo signed on Friday with Dynamo Moscow, a Russian club team.  The deal is said to be for one year, $3.5 million.

No word yet on whether Patrick Beverley will be one of Pargo’s teammates. 

But what kind of pro will Weems be in the NBA?  That’s hard to tell right now, of course, but NBA scouts and general managers earn their salaries trying to find players like Sonny Weems.

Leading up to draft day, the knock on the former Razorback could be summed up in one word: inconsistent.

Nevertheless, the NBA is always looking for hidden gems who possess athleticism and potential, but that need skill development and coaching to succeed at the professional level.

And given the right environment and coaching, I think Weems will turn out to be a good — maybe even very good — player in the NBA.

Sonny made his case for the pros in the last half of his senior season and especially in the NCAA tournament against Indiana.  SI.com noted that in his draft bio:

“Maybe no player among this year’s crop helped his draft status more in one game than Weems did.  He had 31 points on 12-of-14 shooting in a first-round win over Indiana to lead Arkansas to its first NCAA tournament victory since 1999.  That game showed the promise Weems possesses following just two seasons against top-flight competition after transferring from junior college.”

The departure of Weems, along with the rest of the seniors that graduated this past year, closed out the Stan Heath era — a time period that produced more expectations than quality wins.

For all the talent supposedly recruited by Heath, only two of his players who made it on campus were drafted into the NBA.  And some might say that Weems and Ronnie Brewer had enough raw skill and athleticism to make it to the next level no matter who was coaching.  In reality, that’s probably pretty close to the truth.

But now it’s up to Sonny to make the most of this opportunity by working hard and learning how to consistently maximize his talent.  And being consistent means getting it done night in and night out…starting tonight with his second professional game against the Toronto Raptors.

Hogwired.com: Sonny Weems Traded to Denver After Getting Drafted by Chicago

After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, former Arkansas guard/forward Sonny Weems is now headed to Denver.

The Bulls took the first-team All-SEC selection with the ninth pick of the second round and the No. 39 overall selection in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Also:

• Ryan Malashock: Weems Drafted By Bulls, Traded To Nuggets
• Brandon Marcello: Weems drafted, traded
• Chris Cocoles: Weems winds up in Denver
• Rocky Mountain News: Trade nets ‘world class’ athletic talent for Nuggets, With Sonny Weems, football’s loss is Nuggets’ gain

Updated 6/28/08 9:10 a.m.

Corliss Williamson announced his retirement Wednesday after 12 seasons in the NBA — and was introduced as a new assistant coach at Arkansas Baptist College. The move is a return home for Williamson, who was born in Russellville and led [Nolan] Richardson’s Arkansas Razorbacks to the national championship in 1994.

Also:

• Jeffrey Slatton: Williamson ends ’12 fun-filled years’ 
• Doug Crise: Ex-Hog retiring to coach

Updated 9/27/07 9:15 a.m.

And like Coach Pelphrey’s camp earlier this month, it’s also great to see kids getting a chance to grow their basketball skills and knowledge, while still having fun sharing the court with one of their Razorback heroes.

Last week, former Hog Ronnie Brewer hosted his ‘Brew Crew’ camp, the inaugural edition of what is sure to be many in the future by the Utah Jazz guard-forward, who was drafted into the NBA one year ago today.

Held last week at the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club in Fayetteville, Brewer got some help from another well-known former Razorback.  The man affectionately known as “Boot” — Ron Brewer, Sr.

The camp was a high-energy and frenzied mix of drills and contests to test campers mentally and physically.  The campers were put through a ‘Boot Camp,’ and the phrase “hustle up” was common throughout the week.  As were the whistles from both Ron, Sr. and Ronnie, who seemed to enjoy the opportunity to share their basketball knowledge with a future generation of hoopsters.

Seeing Ronnie again made me think of both the end of the Nolan era, and the beginning of Stan Heath’s time on The Hill.  Ronnie had some great moments here — making clutch baskets, hitting timely 3-pointers, or making a steal for one of his electrifying dunks.  But I think most fans will remember him like I do — as someone who rescued the Razorback basketball program at a low point in its history.

It would certainly be difficult to discuss the entire history of Razorback basketball without discussing the Brewer family.  And when last week was over, it was the ‘family affair’ of both Ronnie and his father (and mother, too) who helped make the camp a success.

And who knows…maybe it helped instill the ‘love of the game’ in a future generation, who will dream about wearing “Razorbacks” across their jersey someday.

It is good of Joe to carry the Razorback banner while Corliss ponders a career in real estate.

Ryan Aber: Brewer Headed To Utah

Ronnie Brewer became the 11th Arkansas player to be drafted in the first round in the NBA Draft on Wednesday night, when he was selected No. 14 by the Utah Jazz.

Also:

• Hogwired.com: Brewer Goes 14th to Utah in First Round of NBA Draft
• HawgsIllustrated.com: Brewer Jazzed (subscription)
• Scott Cain: All jazzed up
• Nate Allen: All that Jazz
• AP: Jazz take Arkansas guard Ronnie Brewer
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Surprise, surprise, But can the ‘shooting guard’ shoot?, Brewer looks a lot like Snyder
• AP Photos: Ronnie Brewer, Ronnie Brewer, Jerry Sloan
• Getty Images: Ronnie Brewer / David Stern, Utah Fans, Ronnie Brewer

Updated 6/29/06 7:50 a.m. – Added additional links.

Arkansas star Ronnie Brewer has hired an agent, ending any chance of him coming back to the Razorbacks for his senior season.

Brewer’s father, former Razorback Ron Brewer, said his son hired Chicago-based Henry Thomas on Friday.

Also:

• Hogwired.com: Brewer Officially Leaving for NBA, Signs with Agent
• Scott Cain: With agent on board, Brewer gone for good

Updated 5/30/06 8:30 a.m. – Added additional links.

Arkansas junior guard Ronnie Brewer announced on Thursday he is submitting his name into the NBA Draft, but he is not hiring an agent, which leaves open the possibility of returning for his senior season.

Also:

• AP: Brewer says he will enter NBA draft, but without agent
• HawgsIllustrated.com: Early Entrant, The Brewers (subscription)
• Grant Hall: Brewer To Test NBA Market
• Alex Abrams: Brewer’s Teammates Support His Decision To Go Pro
• Scott Cain: Brewer all but says goodbye, Ronnie Brewer’s career at Arkansas
• Bob Holt: Brewer eyes path taken by Williamson, Johnson
• Otis Kirk: Departure puts burden on signees
• Democrat-Gazette: Ronnie Brewer by the numbers
• Rainer Sabin: Testing the waters
• Terry Wood: No looking back for Brewer

Updated 4/28/06 8:55 a.m. – Added additional links.