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

It didn’t take long for John Calipari to make his presence felt at the University of Arkansas. Since being hired away from Kentucky following the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Calipari has managed to put together the No. 3 overall recruiting class and No. 1 transfer class in the country, according to 247Sports. He pillaged his former Kentucky basketball roster, flipping three top-25 high school recruits and landing three coveted transfers, who all played their freshman seasons in Lexington.

Calipari was hired with the intention of the Arkansas basketball roster returning to the upper echelon of college sports. The Razorbacks won the national championship in 1994, and with Calipari’s recruiting prowess, it may not be long before the Razorbacks reemerge as a college basketball powerhouse. 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’ high school recruiting class currently consists of only three players, but those three players were enough for the Razorbacks to climb all the way up to No. 6 in the composite high school rankings, according to 247Sports. The three high school players joining the Hawgs were all ranked inside of the national top-25, and have elite athletic ability. Small forward Billy Richmond, combo guard Boogie Fland, and small forward Karter Knox all decided to follow Coach Cal to Fayetteville, and will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact in the SEC.

The highest rated transfer Arkansas signed was former FAU guard Johnell Davis. The 6-foot-4 guard was a key piece in the Owls’ Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2023, and is coming off a season where he averaged 18.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Davis was the No. 3 overall transfer prospect in the country when the Spring Transfer Portal opened, according to 247Sports. 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.

*Terms: This offer is only available for new members who sign up for a HawgSports annual subscription. After the first year, subscription will re-bill on an annual basis at the regular rate. 247Sports.com reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Please write support@247sports.com with any questions you may have.