12 months 1 of the John Calipari period at Arkansas may and must be labeled a hit. This system reached the second weekend of the NCAA Match after a dreadful begin to SEC play, and located itself ready to succeed in the Elite Eight earlier than squandering a double-digit lead in a loss to Texas Tech.
Arkansas’ top-three main scorers (Adou Thiero, Boogie Fland and Johnell Davis) have moved on from this system. Thiero was a second-round choose by the Los Angeles Lakers, Fland transferred to Florida and Davis graduated after a prolonged faculty profession. The excellent news for the Razorbacks is that there can be extra continuity on this roster than final 12 months after Calipari scrambled to construct a roster from the bottom up after leaving Kentucky after 15 years with this system.
The most important title returning to this system is star guard DJ Wagner, who started his profession at Kentucky with Calipari. Karter Knox and Billy Richmond lll — two former Kentucky pledges — are returning to this system after productive seasons primarily coming off the bench.
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With faculty basketball’s participant motion all however performed, it is time to begin breaking down the rosters of the game’s prime packages. For this installment, we’re having a look at Arkansas and making an attempt to decipher what its lineup may appear to be when the season begins.
Arkansas was an time beyond regulation away from the inaugural season below John Calipari to be an absolute success. So what is going to the Razorbacks do for an encore? Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander have a look below the hood at 12 months two in Fayetteville.
Projected beginning lineup
1. Darius Acuff Jr. | 6-2 | 180 | Fr.
Calipari has been the most effective at producing level guards able to play within the NBA. Courting again to his stints at Memphis and Kentucky, Calipari coached future NBA stars similar to Derrick Rose, John Wall, Jamal Murray and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Acuff is in line to be the subsequent nice level guard Calipari produces. He completed ranked because the No. 5 total participant within the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports and has been labeled as a dominant lead guard.
2. DJ Wagner | 6-4 | 190 | Jr.
Wagner is getting into his third faculty season. He began his profession at Kentucky earlier than transferring to Arkansas to comply with Calipari final offseason. Wagner is a former highly-touted recruit who averaged a career-high 11.2 factors final season. Wagner ought to profit from taking part in one other season of faculty basketball.
3. Karter Knox | 6-6 | 220 | So.
The youthful brother of former Kentucky participant Kevin Knox Jr. is again for his second season with this system. Knox was a former Kentucky pledge himself earlier than he adopted Calipari to Arkansas. He began 24 video games final season and his function must be extra constant heading into his sophomore marketing campaign.
4. Trevon Brazile | 6-10 | 230 | Sr.
Brazile would be the most skilled participant on this beginning lineup. After he started his profession at Missouri in 2021, he transferred to Arkansas to play for former coach Eric Musselman. Brazile was the one participant with intensive taking part in expertise who stayed at Arkansas when this system went by its teaching transition. He has began 59 video games in his profession.
5. Nick Pringle | 6-8 | 231 | Sr.
When Pringle fits up for Arkansas this season, it can mark his third totally different SEC program in three years. He began his profession at Wofford again in 2020 and was on Alabama’s group two years in the past that reached the Last 4 for the primary time in its program’s historical past. Pringle performed final season at South Carolina and began 32 video games.
Off the bench
Meleek Thomas | 6-4 | 205 | Fr.
Thomas ranked because the No. 13 total participant and the third-ranked taking pictures guard within the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports. He is anticipated to play a major function — almost definitely off the bench — for Arkansas. The McDonald’s All-American ought to add scoring.
Billy Richmond lll | 6-9 | 225 | Sr.
Richmond was a part of Arkansas’ star-studded 2024 recruiting class and was considered one of a handful of gamers who elected to return to highschool. Richmond appeared in 36 video games off the bench final season and averaged 5.7 factors, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Malique Ewin | 6-8 | 215 | Fr.
Ewin was considered one of two key transfers Arkansas introduced in. Ewin ranked because the No. 106 total participant within the 247Sports switch rankings. He averaged 14.2 factors, 7.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 30 video games for Florida State final season. He started his profession at Ole Miss in 2022.
Filling out the roster
Arkansas additionally completed with the No. 4-ranked recruiting class within the 2025 cycle by 247Sports. That star-studded class is headlined by Acuff Jr. — the top-ranked level guard within the class — and Thomas. Calipari did not produce a first-round choose for the primary time since 2007, however that’s anticipated to vary with Acuff and Thomas each being candidates to be chosen within the first spherical of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Market watch
Arkansas’ odds to win 2026 NCAA Match (by way of Fanduel): +3000
The expectation for Arkansas heading into 12 months 2 of the Calipari period is to make a deeper run within the NCAA Match. That might imply a berth — at minimal — to the Elite Eight. The Razorbacks struggled mightily through the first month of SEC play below Calipari earlier than the swap flipped. If Arkansas would not begin sluggish like final 12 months, it ought to be capable of be one of many prime contenders within the SEC.
Arkansas at the moment has the 14th-best odds (alongside Alabama) to win the 2026 nationwide title. The groups from the SEC with higher odds at the moment are Florida (17-1), Kentucky (17-1) and Auburn (25-1). The Razorbacks have star energy and continuity on the roster. That must be sufficient to get Arkansas out of the primary weekend within the NCAA Match.
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