John Calipari gets win in the transfer portal, shows Arkansas success isn't a one-off

John Calipari's first season at Arkansas started a little tenuously but ended with a pretty impressive run in the NCAA Tournament — he showed how quickly great coaches can acclimate to new situations.

Now, in the offseason after his great debut, Calipari just got a big win in the transfer portal by landing Malique Ewin from Florida State, according to On3.

Arkansas boosts forward depth with Malique Ewin addition

Good programs are competitive each season. Calipari is trying to forge a great program in Fayetteville, and building a roster through transfer portal wins is the modern way to build a powerhouse.

Ewin potentially fills a gaping hole for Arkansas, which just watched leading scorer Adou Thiero declare for the NBA Draft. Theoretically, Ewin seamlessly slides into Thiero's role of a do-it-all forward under Calipari.

This will be Ewin's third college team in three seasons; he started his career at Ole Miss, then transferred to Florida State last season and is now a Razorback. He's not a 3-point shooter but he'll muck things up for Arkansas inside and can have big scoring games when called upon. It's a pretty good get for Coach Cal.

Boogie Fland also declares for NBA Draft as Arkansas looks for guard help

Guard help is next on the wishlist for Calipari, as Johnell Davis will graduate and Boogie Fland declared for the NBA Draft recently. Incoming freshman Darius Acuff, the No. 5 prospect in the Class of 2025, will join the roster next season, and relying on a freshman to run an offense is bold, but Acuff is stupendously talented and might be able to shoulder the load.

Getting a commitment from such a highly ranked recruit and a pretty important frontcourt piece in the portal show that Calipari still has his fastball on the recruiting trail and isn't neglecting transfers, either.