Arkansas basketball under John Calipari: Insiders relay transfer portal news, 2024 roster, recruits, targets

The Arkansas Razorbacks shook up the college basketball world when they signed Kentucky’s John Calipari after the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Since then, Calipari has pillaged the Wildcats’ roster and 2024 recruiting class, compiling the No. 3 overall recruiting class and No. 1 transfer class in the country, according to 247Sports. The Kentucky Razorbacks’ most recent addition is combo guard DJ Wagner, who entered the Spring Transfer Portal after one season in Lexington and will join the Arkansas basketball roster.

Wagner averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game as a freshman at Kentucky. He joins forward Adou Thiero and center Zvonimir Ivisic as former Kentucky players to transfer to Arkansas. Calipari now has eight scholarship players on his starting Arkansas basketball roster and continues to reach out to other players for additional Arkansas basketball recruiting. If you love the Razorbacks or just want the latest roster updates and news from the college basketball transfer portal, be sure to See what the proven team of experts is saying at HawgSports, the 247Sports affiliate covering Arkansas.

The team of insiders at HawgSports. with are providing up-to-date information on the latest information regarding the Arkansas basketball coaching transition and roster changes. Launched in 2002, HawgSports has established itself as the premier source for inside Arkansas basketball coverage. Trey Biddy, Danny West and Connor Goodson have 30 years of experience covering the Razorbacks professionally. And now, HawgSports is offering 30% off your first year of annual membership*, so now is the time to sign up.

The HawgSports team has complete coverage on who’s making and who’s making the Arkansas basketball roster. Head over to HawgSports now for all the insider info.

Arkansas Basketball Roster Matches

Last year’s Arkansas team returned 36.3% of its scoring on the 2022-23 roster, which is a high rate in this transfer portal era. But this year’s Arkansas Razorbacks team returns 0.0003% of its scoring thanks to the only holdover, Lawson Blake, scoring just one point from a year ago. So Calipari has a complete roster overhaul to do as the 2024-25 Arkansas basketball team will have no continuity. Double-digit scorers Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle transferred, respectively, to Texas and Gonzaga as part of the mass exodus from Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks’ average age of 22.7 last season was the second oldest in Division I when weighted by minutes. The team is losing nine seniors and even those who lowered their average age have already left. Layden Blocker and Baye Fall, who were freshmen in the Class of 2023 and top-10 national prospects at their respective positions, have since committed to other programs. So while Calipari has done a good job of adding high-profile recruits and transfers, he still only has a seven-man roster, so there’s a lot of work to be done. Join HawgSports for the latest on all of Arkansas’ roster changes.

Arkansas Basketball News, Roster

DJ Wagner and former FAU guard Johnell Davis give Arkansas the makings of an elite starting backcourt. Wagner is long and athletic and has the ability to play point guard. He is already one of the best defenders in the SEC and should only improve on that end of the floor. His shows brilliance on the offensive end, but he needs more time to develop into a true lead guard.

Davis was ranked as the No. 3 transfer prospect when the portal opened in the spring, according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-1 guard was a key part of FAU’s run to the Final Four in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and opted to transfer after Dusty May was hired at Michigan. Davis brings a lot of experience to Fayetteville and is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Join HawgSports for the latest on all of Arkansas’ roster additions.

How to get insider Arkansas basketball roster updates

Calipari has already been in contact with several transfers from power conference teams, so be sure to join HawgSports to see who they are and get the rest of the insider news.

Who are the top names Arkansas basketball is pursuing under coach John Calipari, and which transfers from power conferences could land in Fayetteville? Go to HawgSports to Get your inside scoop, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Razorbacks, and find out. And remember: HawgSports is offering 30% off your first year of an annual VIP membership*, so sign up now before it’s too late.

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