College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 16-17; 6-12, Eleventh in the Southeastern Conference, No Postseason

Head Coach: John Calipari (First Year; had been 410-123 in 15 years at Kentucky, with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances)

Projected Starting Lineup

G Boogie Fland – 6’2″, 175 Freshman / Consensus Top 50 recruit

G DJ Wagner – 6’4″, 195 Sophomore

G Johnell Davis – 6’4″, 210 5th-year Senior

F Trevon Brazile – 6’10”, 230 Junior

C Jonas Aidoo – 6’11”, 240 Senior

Experienced Reserves

G Melo Sanchez – 6’4″, 185 Junior

F Adou Thierro – 6’8″, 220 Junior

C Zvonimir Ivišić – 7’2″, 245 Sophomore

Freshmen

G Casmir Chavis – 6’0″, 180

G Billy Richmond III – 6’5″, 205 / Consensus Top 50 recruit

W Karter Knox – 6’6″, 220 / Consensus Top 50 recruit

It was late on a Sunday night in April when the seismographs began twitching and jumping in Fayetteville. Was it an earthquake? No. It was John Calipari.

An all-timer who spent the past 15 years at Kentucky, Calipari’s decision to make the jump to Southeastern Conference rival Arkansas sent shockwaves throughout the sport. Big Blue Nation had begun wearing thin on patience with their longtime coach. Though ‘Coach Cal’ won a national championship and advanced to three Final Fours with the Wildcats, his team hadn’t advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2018-19. The Hogs, meanwhile, were happier about the news than a pig in, well…

The Razorbacks seemed to have hit their own stall under Eric Musselman. He lit out for Southern Cal this spring, though, and Arkansas feels as though they’ve struck gold with his replacement. As is his wont, Calipari has overhauled the Hogs’ roster, and the new faces are highly talented. Some of them, though new to Fayetteville, are not unfamiliar to Coach Cal, and it’s anticipated that their continuity will aid a big start to a new era. There are also some outstanding freshmen – a Calipari staple – and some big catches out of the transfer portal. Will it be enough to take the Razorbacks directly to a new level?

None of the Hogs’ new players is as accomplished and more of a flat-out dude than Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis. He nearly stayed in the NBA Draft after trying out for scouts this spring, but now that Davis has signed up to lead Arkansas, he will give Calipari a show-stopping superstar to get things going. Sometimes, Davis just seems to wake up feeling like he’s going to go out and win a game by himself – and he can do it. He was so good, so often last year that Davis was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. A dangerous scorer from anywhere on the floor, Davis is nearly impossible to stop when he puts his head down and drives towards the rim. As if that weren’t enough, Davis went for five or more triples in a game three different times last year, and has made a terrific 41.4% of his three-point attempts overall.

None of the Hogs’ new players is as accomplished and more of a flat-out dude than Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis.

Helping to prove his credentials as one of America’s best players, Davis was at his best against some of the best teams FAU faced a year ago. Against tenth-ranked Arizona, Davis stole the show as he played 49 minutes, scored 35 points, grabbed nine boards, and snagged three steals. Of his 26 points against Texas A&M, 18 came on a half dozen triples, and against UAB, Davis put up 30 points and seven boards. He proved his mettle in the clutch, too. Three calm free throws to force overtime and eventually earn a win were among the 34 points Davis dropped at UTSA. Against North Texas, he didn’t quite go for 30; Davis got 28, and the dagger three he hit with less than a second on the clock gave FAU a 66-63 victory. His passing has improved steadily along with his deep range over the past couple of years, and Davis can make all sorts of things happen while remaining within the flow of his team’s offense. That will be a key to his success with the Hogs. Davis has been hampered by an undisclosed injury during the preseason, but ought to provide a tremendous weapon once he’s back to 100%.

The son and grandson of guards who starred in both college and the NBA, DJ Wagner has play-making DNA – and it shows. Wagner’s bond with Calipari is a deep one; DJ’s father, DaJuan, starred for Calipari during his own college days. Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain last November which more or less hampered his debut the rest of the way. After Cal left Lexington for Arkansas, DJ Wagner was soon to follow, and the former 5-star recruit looks like a prime breakout candidate as a sophomore.

A tremendous scoring point guard, Wagner attacks over and over off the bounce, using his great first step and precise body control to pile up buckets. He’s also a creative passer, too; Wagner posted a 96:43 assist to turnover ratio out of the gates, and he allows Calipari tremendous options in mixing and matching lineups. His handle allows the young scorer to get where he wants to go, and even when closely guarded, Wagner can make tough shots. He didn’t shoot the ball well from downtown as a rookie, but Wagner’s range has improved this summer. A very effective on-ball defender on the other end, Wagner is just as comfortable taking on difficult covers as he is taking tough shots. Though he doesn’t have overwhelming size or raw athleticism, Wagner has a great attitude, top-notch instincts, and the toughness to get the job done at a very high level.

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

19.7 – Made FT Per Game (2nd)

31.8% – Team 3FG Percentage (294th)

33.9 – Opponent 3FG Percentage (203rd)

6.1 – Blocks Per Game (6th)

11.7 – Assists Per Game (298th)

Like he had the luxury of doing at Kentucky last season, Calipari will have another fantastic young guard to either pair with Wagner or rotate with him. Johnuel ‘Boogie’ Fland is a Top 25 national prospect whose potential to excite all over the floor is immense. He’s a very good shooter whose range extends beyond the three-point line, and Fland can heat up and devastate the opposition from almost unguardable range. His shot selection can be less than ideal at times, but that’s a correctable flaw. Likewise, Fland doesn’t always make great decisions with the ball, but when things are flowing, he’s a sparkplug. Fland is a natural playing fast – as Cal prefers – and has shown improved vision and a great feel for adapting to the action on the fly since coming to Fayetteville. It’s possible that Fland will spend about as much time running the point as Wagner this year following a tremendous showing in practices so far. Fortunately for the Hogs, Wagner looks like a seamless fit alongside him, and if their symbiosis continues, Wagner and Fland will truly cause headaches for opposing defenses.

Cal didn’t just raid his previous SEC roster upon taking the Arkansas gig – he took a proven dude from Tennessee, too. After showing lots of exciting flashes as a sophomore, Jonas Aidoo has come into his own as a junior. Though he fancies himself a bit of a face-up big and isn’t a bad shooter, Aidoo is at his best within leaping distance of the rim at both ends. Aidoo made 51.5% of his field goal tries last year and finished third on a loaded Vols team in scoring. That inside shooting percentage jumped to 63.0% around the rim, per Bart Torvik, and Aidoo thundered home 47 dunks. An intimidating shot blocker who alters and dissuades just as many shot attempts as he swats, Aidoo only needs to continue getting better at playing aggressively without fouling. He can get from baseline to baseline in a hurry and Aidoo keeps the opponent uncomfortable near either painted area. He what Cal has wanted from his pivot over the years, and though he’s been getting over a few bumps and bruises of his own this fall, Aidoo should enjoy another big year.

There’s one highly prominent Hog who decided to stay in Fayetteville when Cal came to town. After getting over a serious knee injury which wrecked his 2022-23, Trevon Brazile got back to showing flashes of stardom last winter. He remained inconsistent, though, and missing most of February due to another injury didn’t help. At his best, he brings some of the foremost skills that coaches look for in a modern big, and it’s understandable that Cal was interested in retaining Brazile. With great length (including a 7’4″ wingspan) and mobility, Brazile is an effective rebounder and rim protector. He’s also one of those players who can set a screen and either pop or roll to the rim effectively. With springy athleticism and soft hands around the rim, Brazile is a great lob option, and he has shown developing footwork and some patience in the lane. While he doesn’t often put it on the deck to create for himself, Brazile can spot up all the way out to the three point arc. What Cal wants and Brazile must do to take the next step is to focus more on his ability to score in isolation near the rim and drive the ball.

When other guys were nursing injuries and getting adjusted, Adou Thierro was one of Kentucky’s most important players to start the year. He missed a few weeks in January also, but Thierro has proven to be a very hard worker defensively and on the offensive glass who brings legitimate skills of his own. He’s a paint-focused wing and has the great size to present another mismatch option. Thierro’s 16 points and 13 rebounds in a great back-and-forth game against Kansas last November showed just the type of impact he can make. In 25 games played, he swatted 27 shots and swiped 17 steals, and Thierro will give Arkansas the ability to go four-out while still matching up in the post. He didn’t shoot it much from the outside at Kentucky, but Thierro made 80% of his free throws as a sophomore and has looked even better during the practices leading up to his Razorbacks debut. Calipari’s teams play fast as a general rule, and Thierro is the type of physical full-court presence which should allow this team to do what it does best.

In addition to Aidoo at the pivot, Calipari brought Zvonimir Ivišić along from Lexington. The 7’2″ sophomore went through a saga in awaiting clearance from the NCAA last year following his arrival from Croatia, but showed off an exciting level of skill once he took the floor. ‘Big Z’ is a skilled, intuitive passer and shooter who sees the floor like a guard. He’ll be capable of inverting the Hogs’ offense by distributing out of the high post or from out on the wing, and Ivišić can drill three’s in clusters. His ridiculous length makes Ivišić a mismatch inside, too, and he’s becoming more deliberate and assertive in his movements. With a full offseason of strength training and understanding of Calipari’s system now under his belt, Ivišić won’t just give the Razorbacks tremendous contrast at the 5 spot: he gives Arkansas one of the best 1-2 punches of impact bigs anywhere in the country.

In addition to Fland, Calipari will have two more big-time Top 50 recruits to fit in around his veterans. At times, Karter Knox looks like the total package as a pro-style scoring wing. He’s big, long, powerfully built, and Knox moves explosively any time he’s near the paint. With an improving pull-up jumper and increasing shooting range overall, Knox can make a whole lot happen in the halfcourt. He’ll get up to finish lobs nearer the rim, and Knox has a soft touch which belies the aggressiveness he shows charging in from the wing. As impressive as he is physically, Knox also shows good and nimble feet inside or on the perimeter.

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

N Baylor – November 9

N Illinois – November 28

N Michigan – December 10

@ Miami (FL) – December 3

vs Troy – November 13

It’s been remarked that the even-more-explosive Billy Richmond III might be a bit behind Knox and Fland in his development coming out of fall camp. When his light goes on, though, Richmond might become the best of the bunch. His handle and shot are still coming together, but Richmond is fast, dynamic in transition, and effortlessly rises high off the floor when in attack mode. Though there will be clusters of turnovers, Richmond is an intimidating drive threat. The lefty scoring wing is making strides as an ambidextrous finisher near the rim, and at his best Richmond shows good touch inside. If it all starts clicking for Richmond this year, Arkansas will have all sorts of options to overwhelm opponents on the perimeter. The team’s fourth freshman, 3-star combo guard Casmir Chavis, will battle with former Division II shooting star Melo Sanchez for minutes in reserve.

The hype for Calipari’s debut with the Hogs is intense. A strong showing against Kansas in an October exhibition game which displayed their team speed and playmaking from multiple positions only ratcheted up expectations. While this is a team which rely heavily on some youngsters, that’s not unusual for Coach Cal, and he’s added more proven veterans than at some times in the past.

Tough tests against Miami (FL), Baylor, Illinois, and Michigan dot the Razorbacks’ non-conference schedule, and there are a lot of new faces to all get onto the same page. That’s standard for Calipari, though, and like usual, the talent he’s accumulated is elite. The Hogs will be facing a gauntlet in the SEC, but this team will feature guys who have played together before and they seem to be fitting together well with their new friends. The biggest questions about this team will only be answered in March, but on their way to the Madness, Arkansas is bound and determined to have some fun.