Roster construction may hinge on NBA Draft for Calipari, Arkansas
The calm before the storm: an adage that accurately describes the current state of head coach John Calipari's recruiting philosophies in regards to Arkansas' seven remaining scholarships since the official closing of the transfer portal on May 1.
Buzz and excitement have filled the corridors of Bud Walton Arena following impressive offseason additions like Florida Atlantic's Johnell Davis, Tennessee's Jonas Aidoo, five-star Boogie Fland and others, but Hog fans want more.
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Five days have passed since Davis' commitment to the Razorbacks, and the Arkansas faithful are left wondering...who's next? Information about Calipari's pursuit and interest in prospects is scarce, but taking a glean at his statements on April 10 could provide a picture of the timeline for future commitments.
"It may take a little longer because there are kids that put their name in the NBA Draft that are going to go through some of the process, which means, do you wait for that kid," Calipari said in his introductory press conference. "Or do you go take somebody that’s not quite as good and you’re going to be juggling balls? That’s what we do now."
122 total players were invited to the NBA Draft and G-League combines that take place from May 11-19 — and the Razorbacks could have their eyes on as many as eight for their roster.
Minnesota's Cam Christie, Illinois' Coleman Hawkins, New Mexico's JT Toppin and Florida State's Jamir Watkins highlight the NBA Draft group, while Kansas State's Arthur Kaluma, Kentucky's Ugonna Onyenso, Miami's Wooga Poplar and Washington State's Jaylen Wells stand out among the G-League invites.
Each of these players are either highly regarded and in a position of need that it just makes too much sense for Arkansas to not be interested, or they've already been connected to the Hogs in some way.
Watkins was once considered an Arkansas-lean after entering the transfer portal from VCU in 2023, but he ultimately chose the Seminoles. Onyenso's connection to Calipari is clear, and Kaluma was scheduled to visit Kentucky until he committed to Kansas State after leaving Creighton last offseason.
In any case, a good chunk of this group will likely return to college not just for development, but for major NIL paydays.
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"They’re giving a bunch of waivers and no one wants to leave because of NIL," Calipari said. "I’ll stay here and make more than I would going and getting a job and I’m still playing basketball. So, that’s one of the issues which means physical toughness and physicality matter more now than ever before."
Be patient, Arkansas fans, because a near-full Razorback roster is on the horizon. Players who have declared for the NBA Draft must withdraw by May 29 to be eligible for another collegiate season, and the first summer session for the University of Arkansas begins on May 28 — a good date to expect signees to be on campus.
The next few weeks will be an exciting time for Arkansas, as its hope for national championship contention in Year 1 under Calipari will be formed through roster additions. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.