Tag: John Calipari

Draft prospect Boogie Fland: ‘When the game’s on the line, I want the ball in my hands – that’s where I thrive’

Boogie Fland, a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (No. 20 on our latest Aggregate Mock Draft), is quickly making a name for himself as a freshman under John Calipari in his first year coaching Arkansas after leaving Kentucky. Standing …

Boogie Fland, a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (No. 20 on our latest Aggregate Mock Draft), is quickly making a name for himself as a freshman under John Calipari in his first year coaching Arkansas after leaving Kentucky.

Standing at about 6-foot-2 and weighing just under 180 pounds, Fland will draw comparisons to a former Calipari-coached guard Rob Dillingham, the 8th overall pick in last year’s draft, or a little-known guard drafted out of Vanderbilt named Darius Garland.

Known for his shooting touch, poise, playmaking and his ability to thrive both on-ball and off-ball, Fland is already showcasing his potential as a future NBA guard.

Following a clutch performance against Miami, Fland spoke with HoopsHype and reflected on the start of his true freshman season, his ability to close games, his playstyle, playing in high-intensity situations early in the year and more.

Pat Forde wonders if Mark Stoops’ situation at Kentucky echoes John Calipari

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde draws a comparison between Mark Stoops’ tenure at Kentucky and that of former Wildcats basketball coach John Calipari.

In the wake of Kentucky’s 31-6 loss to South Carolina at Kroger Field in Lexington last Saturday, there was plenty to dissect.

How did the Wildcats seem so overmatched against a South Carolina team that was a 9.5-point underdog (per FanDuel Sportsbook)?

Why was the passing game so brutal, with Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff completing 3-of-10 passes for just 30 yards and an interception on his way to being benched in the second half?

How was the defense unable to shut down the South Carolina offense in crunch time (the same offense that struggled for four quarters against Old Dominion only a week earlier)?

In the aftermath of all this, one veteran college football analyst believes Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has “lost his mojo.”

Regarding Stoops, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde included Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart on his weekly list of college football’s “12 Angriest Men.” Forde used the piece to take shots at Stoops and even wondered if his tenure in Lexington was beginning to resemble that of former Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, who left Lexington for the Arkansas job back in April.

Forde wrote of Barnhart and Stoops:

“The Kentucky Wildcats athletics director could be finding himself trending back to where he ended the basketball season—with a once-popular coach who has lost his mojo but would cost a fortune to fire.

John Calipari bailed out Barnhart by bolting to Arkansas. Mark Stoops tried to do the same last year, on the verge of getting the Texas A&M job before rich and important Aggies squashed the move. So Stoops stayed on for his 12th season at the kind of place where it isn’t easy to keep winning. … Kentucky now has lost three straight to South Carolina and seven of its last eight SEC games.

In late 2022, Stoops agreed to a deal paying him $9 million a year through ’31. He’s 15–13 since the start of that season.”

RELATED: Is Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops on the hot seat?

To be fair, Kentucky came into the season knowing it had one of the toughest schedules in the country. But that wasn’t supposed to include South Carolina, a team that finished 5-7 a year ago and is no one’s idea of an upper-echelon SEC program.

The Wildcats still have the unenviable task of facing Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee in conference play this year, in addition to its annual rivalry with Louisville. Four of those programs are currently ranked in the Top 10; the Bulldogs, Longhorns and Rebels are all currently in the top five of the US LBM Coaches Poll. Louisville, a dark horse contender for the ACC title, is up to No. 21.

One game shouldn’t put a coach on the hot seat. But as Forde pointed out, Stoops has now lost three straight to the Gamecocks. The Wildcats’ 10 wins from 2021, which were all vacated over the summer, are also beginning to feel a lot longer ago than that as the gap widens between Kentucky and the top-tier SEC programs.

The Wildcats return to action Saturday when they host No. 1 Georgia at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kroger Field. The game can be seen on ABC.

Follow us @UKWildcatsWire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Kentucky Wildcats news, notes and opinions.

Date set for John Calipari’s return to Lexington to face Kentucky

John Calipari will return to face the Kentucky Wildcats on February 1 with the Arkansas Razorbacks in SEC play.

The SEC basketball schedule was released on Tuesday, giving fans a first look at when and where each conference game will take place in the 2024-25 college basketball season.

Without a doubt the most exciting matchup is Arkansas at Kentucky – the return of longtime Wildcats coach John Calipari to Lexington.

The game, which will take place on February 1, not only brings Cal back to the program he coached for 15 years and brought a national championship in 2012, it also marks the return of former Kentucky players DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero, and Zvonimir Ivisic who followed Calipari to Fayetteville in the transfer portal.

Calipari also snatched three recruits who were previously committed to Kentucky: Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, and Billy Richmond, giving BBN plenty of familiar faces to cheer against.

Calipari bolted for Arkansas this offseason after previous Hogs coach Eric Musselman took the open position at USC, replacing Andy Enfield. The ‘Cats brought in BYU coach Mark Pope to replace him.

Pope is an alumni who was team captain when Kentucky won the title under Rick Pitino in 1996, and he no doubt wants to secure a win here to prove to the fanbase he’s the right man for this job despite limited NCAA Tournament success prior to his hiring.

John Calipari, Arkansas land decommit from Big Ten school

Casmir Chavis, a three-star guard in the 2024 recruiting class, committed to John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday.

John Calipari may be in new threads, but he continues to do what he does best: recruit high school talent.

The Arkansas Razorbacks landed a commitment from Casper Chavis on Wednesday, the fourth incoming freshman for coach Cal alongside former Kentucky commits Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, and Billy Richmond.

Chavis is a three-star point guard who is ranked No. 177 in the class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. The 6’3 guard is from Minneapolis and initially committed to the Washington Huskies back in November over Georgia, Arizona State, and West Virginia.

However, Chavis was released from his NLI after coach Mike Hopkins was fired, and now he joins a new look Hogs roster in Fayetteville that has just one returner in veteran forward Trevon Brazile.

“I decided to choose Arkansas because the development I can get from the coaching staff is one of the best in the country and how good the community is towards the team. Plus the relationship we built made it better just getting to know each other. Coach Calipari has been able to get previous players in my position to the NBA so that’s why I ended up choosing Arkansas.”

Chavis will be behind sophomore DJ Wagner, who followed Calipari from Kentucky, as well as Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis and Fland, the No. 18 ranked prospect in the class.

Arkansas basketball to face Illinois on Thanksgiving Day, per AD

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said Thursday that his school would play Arkansas on Thanksgiving Day 2024 in Kansas City.

Turkey, the Macy’s parade, the Detroit Lions at noon followed by the Dallas Cowboys in the late-afternoon window on national TV. All of these are Thanksgiving Day traditions.

The Arkansas men’s basketball team? At least for 2024, the Razorbacks will reportedly be part of the holiday festivities when they play Illinois in a nationally televised game on CBS on Thanksgiving Day. The game will reportedly be played in Kansas City.

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman made the announcement in a media gathering with reporters Thursday. The Razorbacks’ game against the Illini reportedly will tip off following the conclusion of the Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions game, which will also be televised by CBS this year.

Tipoff has not been officially announced, but with Chicago vs. Detroit scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. CDT kickoff, it would likely put Arkansas vs. Illinois tipping off around 3 p.m.

Illinois is the fourth reported non-conference game on the Razorback’s 2024-25 schedule. Arkansas will also play Miami in Coral Gables as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge on December 3.

It has been widely reported that the Razorbacks will also face Michigan in the annual Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York on December 10.

The Hogs will host Oakland on December 30 at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas’ matchup against Miami is the only non-conference game officially announced by both schools.

Arkansas last met Illinois in March 2023, a 73-63 Razorbacks victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. The Illini lead the all-time series against Arkansas, 5-1.

Illinois advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season before falling to eventual national champion UConn.

Follow us @RazorbacksWire on Twitter/X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Arkansas Razorbacks news, notes and opinions.

Calipari’s first transfer class still ranked No. 1 in the nation

It’s proof that what Musselman built can not only be continued to increased.

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.

John Calipari teases Arkansas’ non-conference schedule at SEC meetings

Arkansas coach John Calipari released an update on the Razorbacks’ non-conference schedule Wednesday at the SEC spring meetings in Florida.

Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari provided a scheduling update of sorts at the SEC spring meetings in Florida Wednesday.

While he didn’t name any opponents, Calipari told assembled reporters that the Razorbacks will play non-conference games in Dallas and North Little Rock. Calipari added that he also wants Arkansas to play at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“Most of the stuff is done (in terms of) who we’re playing, and then there may be one team that I try to do a home-and-home with,” Calipari said. “But we’re going to play in North Little Rock. We’re going to play in Dallas. You need national games. You’ve got to play in Madison Square Garden.”

Calipari added that networks like ESPN and CBS had reached out to him about televising games.

“Some of the games I’ve scheduled, you get calls from ESPN, different events, CBS (asking), ‘Can you do this? Can you do this?'” Calipari said. “Until I get the rest of the roster, I probably won’t fully do the schedule, but we’re in good shape right now. I’m juiced about it. Like, let’s go.”

While Arkansas waits to finalize its non-conference schedule, the 2024-25 SEC schedule was released earlier this month. Arkansas will play both home and away games against LSU, Missouri and Texas. They’ll face Kentucky at Rupp Arena when Calipari makes his highly anticipated return to Lexington. Official dates and tipoff times for conference games have not been announced.

RELATED: Arkansas’ all-time series record against every 2024-25 SEC basketball opponent

Follow us @RazorbacksWire on Twitter/X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Arkansas Razorbacks news, notes and opinions.

Former Kentucky guard joining John Calipari in Arkansas

Former New Jersey guard DJ Wanger has committed to Arkansas.

After a solid freshman season for the University of Kentucky, D.J. Wagner will have a new home next season. One of the top guards to emerge from New Jersey over the past decade, Wagner will follow John Calipari to Arkansas out of the transfer portal.

In his only season at Kentucky, Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week three times and was a member of the All-SEC team. While. Wagner now has to adjust to a new team; he will not be the only player with Kentucky ties on the roster.

Wagner, a consensus five-star recruit, could have been an interesting fit at Rutgers. But Arkansas is a stronger pathway to playing time given how deep the Rutgers backcourt is currently.

Wagner will be joining two former Wildcats in Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic. Since Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas, three players entered the transfer portal after Calipari left Kentucky for a new program.

DJ Wagner has committed to Arkansas, per @ArRecruitingGuy pic.twitter.com/n52T1SYSIo

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) May 27, 2024

 

As Wagner looks to take his game to the next level, he will have a head coach to rely on who he is comfortable with. Even though Wagner struggled at times last year, Calipari continued to give him chances. Towards the end of the season, he rewarded his coach’s faith, scoring at least 10 points in three of his final six games.

[lawrence-related id=38392,38386,38384]

In that span, Wagner made 10 three-pointers. 

In his first year with Arkansas, Wagner will need to be consistent as with Kentucky, he struggled to score at times. In the first round of March Madness, Wagner did not score a point in Kentucky’s 80-76 loss to Oakland.

If he can take a developmental leap in his second season in the SEC, then Wagner could be a very good fit with Arkansas.

Third former Kentucky player joins John Calipari at Arkansas

Former Kentucky guard D.J. Wagner has followed John Calipari to Arkansas.

D.J. Wagner, a 6-foot-3 guard and former No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2023, is following John Calipari to Fayetteville, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Richard Davenport reported late Sunday.

Wagner was a consensus five-star recruit out of high school and a McDonald’s All-American. In his freshman season at Kentucky, he averaged almost 10 points per game (9.9) to go with 1.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Wagner played in 29 games for the Wildcats and scored a season-high 28 points in their early-season matchup against Marshall on November 24, a 118-82 Kentucky victory.

He had 13 games in double figures, seven of which came in SEC play. Wagner’s 19 points in Kentucky’s 111-102 victory over Arkansas at Rupp Arena on March 2 was his season-high in conference action. He shot 40.5 percent from the field last season.

Per 247Sports’ Travis Branham:

“Wagner is a tough, hard-nosed guard that competes on every possession he is on the floor.

He is capable of playing both on and off the ball with his biggest value coming in the intangibles he brings to the floor as a fearless competitor.

His freshman year didn’t live up to the lofty expectations set before him but with an improved jumper this season, he could have a breakout sophomore campaign in Fayetteville.”

Wagner is the eighth addition to the Arkansas program since Calipari was named Razorbacks head coach on April 10 and the third former Kentucky player to follow Calipari to Arkansas. Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic previously joined the Hogs this off-season.

Three high school recruits also flipped their commitments to Arkansas after previously committing to Kentucky: point guard Boogie Fland and wings Karter Knox and Billy Richmond.

Former John Calipari players headline NBA awards

Eight former John Calipari players appeared on the 2023-24 NBA awards.

A litany of former John Calipari players appeared on the NBA’s annual awards list for the 2023-24 season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was named the NBA Most Improved Player, beating out Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun and Chicago Bulls guard Cody White for the award.

Maxey averaged 25.9 points per game in 70 games for the Sixers. He totaled career-highs in points scored (1,816), assists (433), rebounds (258) and steals (69). Maxey was also the recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Karl-Anthony Townes was named NBA Social Justice Champion. The Timberwolves’  center has helped lead Minnesota to a berth in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas. He has averaged 21.8 points per game to go with 8.3 rebounds.

Three former Calipari players were named to the All-NBA team: Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, and Phoenix guard Devin Booker. Gilgeous-Alexander was named a first-team selection with Davis a second-team selection and Booker a third-team pick.

Gilgeous-Alexander was also a finalist for NBA Most Valuable Player, which went to Luka Doncic, Clutch Player of the Year (awarded to Steph Curry), and the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Davis was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team as a first-team selection along with Miami’s Bam Adebayo. Adebayo was one of three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year (awarded to Rudy Gobert) and NBA Social Justice Champion.

Additionally, Sacramento guard Malik Monk was one of three finalists for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, which was awarded to Minnesota’s Naz Reid. Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace was named to the All-Rookie Team as a second team selection.