Four players join Arkansas basketball team
The Arkansas basketball program has officially added four new players to its roster, as the Razorbacks annonced the additions of freshmen Jaden Karuletwa and Ayden Kelley alongside transfers Melo Sanchez and Kareem Watkins on Thursday.
Karuletwa, Kelley and Sanchez all previously committed to the Hoop Hogs, while Watkins' addition is new to Arkansas fans.
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A 5-foot-8, 175-pound graduate senior from Kentucky, Watkins appeared in five games during the 2024 season with a start on senior night against Vanderbilt. The walk-on also saw playing time against Illinois State, Lousivlle, Marshall and New Mexico State.
Watkins — the half brother of fellow Arkansas guard and former Kentucky transfer DJ Wagner — grew up in New Jersey under the same roof as the former five-star and will suit up with him once again in Fayetteville.
As a senior at Kingsway Regional High School, Watkins averaged 8.7 points and notched 11 double-digit scoring efforts across 26 games.
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Karuletwa is a 6-foot-5 wing from Sun Valley, Calif. (Village Christian HS). He was named first team All-Olympic League last season while averaging 14.1 points and 4.6 rebounds and shooting 94% from the free throw line and 49% from 3-point range.
A product of Northpoint Christian School, Kelley averaged 19 points and four assists this past season. He is the son of former Memphis guard Antonio Burks, who played three seasons under Calipari at Memphis (2001-04). Kelley’s stepfather is former Tennessee Volunteers star point guard Tony Harris.
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A 6-foot-4, 185-pound soon-to-be junior, Sanchez averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 34.3 minutes across 29 games in 2024. He also shot 36.0% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arch and 79.8% from the charity stripe. He earned second team All-PacWest in 2024, and his season-high in points came against Slippery Rock on Nov. 26, when he scored 32 points in 36 minutes on 8-of-14 shooting with six made threes.
Sanchez ranked seventh in NCAA Division II and led the PacWest Conference in 3-point percentage (.461) as a freshman while he also ranked second in the conference in 3-pointers made per game both as a freshman (2.57) and a sophomore (2.52).
Following the additions, the Razorbacks now sit with 13 scholarship players on their projected roster. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.
Note: Some information from Arkansas Athletics.
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