Arkansas basketball fans got a clearer picture of what next year's roster will look like Thursday evening, as head coach John Calipari announced the return of three key players from last year's team.
A video posted to Calipari's X account detailed the roster the Hogs have so far. Point guard D.J. Wagner, forward Trevon Brazile and wing Billy Richmond III all said they will be in a Razorback jersey for the 2025-26 season.
Not included in the video is freshman wing Karter Knox, who announced that he is testing the NBA Draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility. Calipari said in the video that he fully supports Knox's decision.
The video also included incoming freshmen Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas and Isaiah Sealy, as well as Lithuanian forward Karim Rtail.
Minutes after Calipari's account released that video, he dropped another video that featured all of the above-mentioned players, as well as two of the Hogs' newest transfer signees, Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle.
The Razorbacks still have more pieces they want to add ahead of next season, but HawgBeat has a little more on the three main pieces returning to Arkansas next season...
D.J. Wagner — Guard
Arkansas soon-to-be junior guard D.J. Wagner will enter his third season in college and second year with the Razorbacks next season.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound native of Camden, New Jersey, averaged 11.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Razorbacks. He shot 40.1% from the field, 30.4% from three and 81.7% from the free throw line in 36 games.
Wagner saw his role at point guard expand significantly following freshman guard Boogie Fland's thumb surgery in January. With multiple talented guards expected to return plus the additions of five-star freshmen guards Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas, Wagner will become a veteran presence for the Razorbacks.
The former No. 6 overall player in the class of 2023, Wagner followed coach John Calipari to Arkansas last offseason.
Trevon Brazile — Forward
Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile will return for his fifth and final season in college, and his fourth with the Razorbacks, next season.
A 6-foot-10, 230-pound native of Springfield, Missouri, Brazile averaged 6.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.7 assists across 34 games this season.
Despite those averages, Brazile finished the season especially strong. The high-flyer picked up serious steam during forward Adou Thiero's injury hiatus from Feb. 22 to March 26, with seven double-digit point performances in 7-of-9 games played. In that span, he averaged 11.3 points and 9.1 boards per contest.
Brazile shot a team-best 60.0% from the field in 2024-25 plus 36.4% from distance and a measly 52.9% from the free throw line.
Once considered a potential first-round NBA Draft pick, injuries and inconsistencies have set Brazile back from the stardom of professional basketball. However, if the Razorbacks can get end-of-season Brazile for a whole year in 2025-26, the former Missouri transfer may see hear his name called by Adam Silver in the NBA Draft.
Billy Richmond III — Forward
Arkansas guard Billy Richmond III is set to play his sophomore season in a Razorback uniform for the 2025-26 season.
A 6-foot-5, 205-pound native of Memphis, Tennessee, Richmond averaged 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists for the Razorbacks through 36 games. The energizer freshman shot 52.3% from the field, 12.5% from beyond the arc and 73.2% from the charity stripe this season.
Richmond logged a season-high 16 points and tied his season-high of nine rebounds against 2-seed St. John's in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. His next highest point total (15) came against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament.
The exciting ball-handler has some glaring holes in his game — particularly perimeter shooting and occasional recklessness with the ball — but another offseason should help round out the rough edges and have Richmond ready for a breakout campaign for Arkansas a year from now.
