Arkansas basketball under John Calipari: Insiders tell transfer portal news, 2024 roster, recruits, targets

Arkansas wasn’t often considered much of a threat in men’s college basketball for the first 20 years of the 21st century. But after making three straight Sweet 16 appearances, including back-to-back Elite Eight trips before losing to eventual National Champion UConn in the Sweet 16 last year, Arkansas is becoming an SEC basketball staple. Now with John Calipari taking over as head coach, one of college basketball’s most successful head coaches in recent memories looks to elevate Arkansas to become an elite college basketball program.

Calipari has won quickly everywhere he’s been as a college basketball head coach, and there’s no shortage of elite talent joining the Arkansas basketball roster. Calipari surprised many in the college basketball world by making the move from Kentucky to Arkansas, so what can fans expect out of his transfer portal additions and Class of 2024 Arkansas basketball recruits? If you love the Razorbacks, or just want the latest roster updates and college basketball transfer portal news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at HawgSports, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Arkansas.

The team of insiders at HawgSports.com are providing up-to-the-minute scoop on the latest intel surrounding the Arkansas basketball coaching transition and roster changes. Launched in 2002, HawgSports has established itself as the top source for insider Arkansas basketball coverage. Trey Biddy, Danny West and Connor Goodson have a combined 30 years of experience covering the Razorbacks professionally. And right now, HawgSports is offering 30% off the first year of an annual subscription*, so now is the time to sign up.

The team at HawgSports has full coverage of who is coming and who is going on the Arkansas basketball roster. Head to HawgSports now to see all the insider info.

Arkansas basketball roster departures 

Last year’s Arkansas team returned 36.3% of its scoring from the 2022-23 roster, which is a high rate in this age of the transfer portal. But this year’s Arkansas Razorbacks squad returns .0003% of its scoring, thanks to the lone holdover, Lawson Blake, scoring just one point a year ago. Thus, Calipari has a complete roster overhaul to make as the 2024-25 Arkansas basketball team will have no continuity. Double-digit scorers Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle have respectively transferred to Texas and Gonzaga as part of the mass exodus from Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks’ average age of 22.7 last season was the second-oldest in Division I, when weighted by minutes. The team is losing nine seniors, and even those who lowered the average age have since departed. Layden Blocker and Baye Fall, who were Class of 2023 freshmen and top-10 national prospects at their respective positions, have since committed to other programs. So while Calipari has done a nice job in adding highly-ranked incoming recruits and transfers, he still just has a seven-man squad so there’s lots of work to be done. Join HawgSports to see the latest on all of Arkansas’ roster changes. 

Arkansas basketball news, roster

Arkansas will rely on a pair of Camden, N.J. natives as the program’s pursuit of its first Final Four since 1995. D.J. Wagner, one of those Camden natives, struggled to close out his freshman season, being held below 10 points in three of his final 13 games. But Wagner was one of the top-10 Class of 2023 prospects by 247Sports and a few off performances aren’t enough to think his natural talent won’t transfer to the collegiate level.

Billy Richmond, a 6-foot-5 small forward, changed his commitment from Kentucky to Arkansas to follow Calipari. He’s another Camden native who was in the top 25 of the Class of 2024 by 247Sports. Calipari has been one of the best recruiters in the country over his career and this offseason has proven the top players in the country will follow Calipari even as he moves from a traditional blue-blood school to another without as much basketball history and success. Join HawgSports to get the latest on all of Arkansas’ roster additions.

How to get insider Arkansas basketball roster updates

Calipari has already been in contact with multiple transfers from power-conference teams, so be sure to join HawgSports to see who they are and get the rest of the insider roster news. 

Who are the top names Arkansas basketball is pursuing under coach John Calipari, and which power-conference transfers could land in Fayetteville? Go to HawgSports to see their insider information, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Razorbacks, and find out. And reminder, HawgSports is offering 30% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so subscribe now before it’s too late.

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