John Calipari is winning with a strategy that'll infuriate Kentucky fans

This Arkansas team feels a lot like a vintage John Calipari team. The type of team Kentucky fans agonize over watching Calipari coach after he had so much success in Lexington. The winning recipe for Calipari is getting two standout, true freshman guards to carry the squad. He did it for years at Kentucky and that’s why Arkansas has improved from last year. 

Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are the epitome of what made Calipari who he is. The one-and-done way isn’t for everyone. It’s also not dead, either. The one-and-done philosophy is what made Kentucky the dangerous team it was during the Calipari era and it’s what is going to carry his legacy in Fayetteville. 

John Calipari going back to his roots is exactly what Arkansas needs … and Kentucky fans hate to see

In the era of the transfer portal, NIL and players playing college basketball well into their 20s, it’s hard to put faith in true freshmen. Unless they’re the elite ones, they’re staying in college longer and veteran players have proven to lead to more success than a team full of true freshmen. For Calipari, however, the best way for him is still relying on young, talented guards. 

Acuff and Thomas are averaging 22.3 and 17.3 points per game, respectively. Acuff just scored 49 points in a double overtime loss to Alabama on Wednesday night. Apparently he was in a boot two days before the game and it was a no-brainer he was going to play. Not all top NBA draft picks are built the same. 

Those are the types of players that Calipari thrives with. That’s why the Razorbacks are one of the most dangerous teams this year. They have a freshman backcourt that can hang with just about anybody. This is also the biggest fear for Kentucky fans. Sure, things didn’t end well with Calipari, but everything he did at Kentucky is working for him again at Arkansas.

How far can this young Arkansas team go?

What makes Arkansas dangerous is the fact that Calipari went back to his roots. But more importantly than that, it’s what’s going to make Arkansas a dangerous team to face in the NCAA Tournament. Look at the dominant eras with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins or Anthony Davis. Those teams had players that were headed to the NBA and needed to prove they were worth a lottery pick. 

Acuff is playing with an edge and showing he’s more than just an afterthought in this draft class. The Boozer twins, AJ Dybansta and Darryn Peterson have dominated the NBA Draft talk. Acuff is just as much in that conversation. What he does in the NCAA Tournament will determine how much Calipari is going to rub off on Arkansas. 

Things didn’t work out with DJ Wagner last year and Boogie Fland. This year, the Razorbacks figured it out with Acuff and Thomas. Now they’ll need that tournament run to show why Calipari still has the winning way. The older teams will still show experience matters. Calipari’s crew will remind everyone why one-and-dones aren’t quite a thing of the past just yet. 

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