John Calipari had to completely rebuild the Arkansas basketball roster when he arrived in April. The good news is the program and the coach sold themselves.
Arkansas had turned into a legitimate power – not the most elite tier, but a strong one – under previous coach Eric Musselman. He had taken the Razorbacks to three straight Sweet Sixteens, including two consecutive Elite Eights, before the wheels came off in 2023-24 and he left for USC after the season.
Calipari arrived to Fayetteville shortly thereafter with zero scholarship players remaining on the roster. Forward Trevon Brazile ultimately decided to return, but the rest of the group had to be filled in a hurry. In this day and age, that’s easier with the transfer portal.
Three players joined him from Kentucky in guard DJ Wagner, forward Adou Thiero and center Avonimir Ivisic. All-SEC big man Jonas Aidoo headed to Fayetteville from Tennessee. And Johnell Davis left Florida Atlantic to become a Hogs basketball player.
Those five have provided Arkansas with the No. 1 transfer-portal recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports’ rankings. Combined with incoming freshmen Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond – plus the returning Brazile – Arkansas’ roster is that of a likely top-10 team in the preseason.
And it’s proof that what Musselman built can not only be continued to increased.