Former two-time Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year Derrian Ford has signed with the Temple University men's basketball team, head coach Adam Fisher announced. Ford spent the previous two seasons at Arkansas State following his freshman campaign at the University of Arkansas in 2022-23.
Ford averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists over two seasons with the Red Wolves and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Derrian and his family to our Temple basketball program," said Fisher. "Derrian is a former two-time Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year. His skill level playing with the ball in his hands as well as off the ball is something that jumped out to us right away. He is a terrific shooter who has consistently shown the ability to knock down long range shots throughout his career. He is a big, physical guard who will also bring us a great presence on the defensive end."
A native of Magnolia, Ark., Ford helped Arkansas State to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a 103–78 victory over Saint Louis in the first round of the NIT during the 2024-25 season. He reached double figures in 12 games last year, including each of his final three contests in the postseason. He tallied a season-high 19 points in one of those games, hitting 4-of-7 from three-point range.
In 2023-24, Ford averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds while starting 31 of 36 games. He scored 10 or more points in 19 contests, highlighted by a career-high 23 points against South Alabama.
As a freshman at Arkansas, Ford appeared in 21 games for the Sweet 16-bound Razorbacks during the 2022-23 season.
A four-star recruit at Magnolia High School, Ford was a two-time Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American nominee. A consensus top-80 recruit nationally, he led Magnolia to three Class 4A state titles and was named state tournament MVP in all three championship runs. As a senior, he averaged 23.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists, guiding the Panthers to a perfect 30-0 record.
"I'm blessed and thankful for the opportunity to play at Temple University," said Ford. "Temple has a strong basketball tradition along with great academic excellence that I am proud to continue. I look forward to wearing the Cherry and White this season."
Ford becomes the fifth transfer to sign with the Owls this offseason and the sixth overall newcomer for the 2025-26 roster. He joins transfers Jamai Felt (Boston, Mass./Bowling Green), Masiah Gilyard (Brooklyn, N.Y./Manhattan), Gavin Griffiths (Simsbury, Conn./Nebraska) and CJ Hines (Atlanta, Ga./Alabama State), along with incoming freshman Cam Wallace (Philadelphia, Pa./Westtown).
