John Calipari's first season at Arkansas ended with a Sweet 16 overtime loss to Texas Tech, capping an up-and-down campaign that saw the Razorbacks lose their first five conference games. That followed his departure from Kentucky after 15 seasons as its head coach, which included the 2012 national championship.
Forward Adou Thiero (15.1 points per game) and guards Boogie Fland (13.5 points per game) and Johnell Davis (12 points per game), the team's top three scorers from 2024-25, will not return next season. Thiero and Fland declared for the NBA Draft while Davis is out of eligibility. Forward Jonas Aidoo (6.9 points per game) is also out of eligibility and forward Zvonimir Ivisic (8.5 points per game) transferred to Illinois.
With a mix of incoming transfers, top-11 recruits and key players returning to the lineup, the 2025-26 roster is shaping up for the Razorbacks. ESPN's Jeff Borzello has Arkansas 10th in his latest rankings ahead of the May 28 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline.
Projected Arkansas starting lineup and roster for the 2025-26 season
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Darius Acuff | Point guard |
D.J. Wagner | Shooting guard |
Meleek Thomas | Shooting guard |
Karter Knox | Small forward |
Trevon Brazile | Power forward |
This projected lineup hinges on what forward Karter Knox, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Knox, decides to do. Knox announced he would enter the NBA Draft in April while maintaining his college eligibility. Knox averaged 8.3 points his freshman season in Fayetteville and would provide some additional depth should he return for another season.
Guard Darius Acuff, the No. 7-ranked recruit, is the highest-ranked recruit out of IMG Academy and the No. 1-ranked point guard in the class, per 247 Sports. Meleek Thomas, the second-ranked shooting guard behind USC signee Alijah Arenas, is the No. 11 recruit in the ESPN 100 and will likely join Acuff in the starting five. Isaiah Sealy, the No. 107-ranked player and top-ranked player from the state of Arkansas, should give the Razorbacks some frontcourt depth and 20-year-old forward Karim Rtail joins the team after a previous stint playing professionally in Lithuania.
The return of guard D.J. Wagner (11.2 points per game) and forwards Trevon Brazile (6.8 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game) and Billy Richmond III (5.7 points per game) gives Calipari some familiarity from last season. Coming off a career-high 11.2 points, Wagner should slot back into the starting five and Brazile will presumably have the five spot due to his rebounding ability.
Incoming transfers Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle could also get valuable minutes. Ewin averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds at Florida State and could have a shot at a spot in the starting lineup when all is said and done. Pringle, who averaged 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds at South Carolina last season, was on the Alabama team that reached the Final Four in 2024.
It will be interesting to see how Calipari's Razorbacks perform now that he has a full season behind him in Fayetteville. Knox's upcoming decision leaves some uncertainty for the time being, but there is certainly some depth on the roster, which can become a huge benefit in the physical SEC.