Calipari likely to lean on portal to replace interior production, shot makers
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— Arkansas is expected to undergo another roster overhaul this offseason, and replacing production in the frontcourt will be among coach John Calipari’s top priorities. Roster turnover has become standard in college basketball, and Arkansas routinely relies on high school recruiting and the transfer portal as NBA departures reshape his roster each offseason.
Calipari is currently set to bring in a trio of freshmen to his backcourt in No. 2 prospect Jordan Smith, Jr., No. 12 JJ Andrews and No. 22 Abdou Toure with each of them rated as 5-stars in the 2026 recruiting cycle to give the Razorbacks the No. 6 ranked signing class in the nation, There's a strong possibility that Arkansas can retain a few key pieces to his squad from this season in point guard DJ Wagner along with wings Billy Richmond III and Karter Knox. Each of them are talented and bring unique skillsets to the floor. Senior forward Malique Ewin has been rumored to apply for another season of eligibility after spending a season in the JUCO ranks. Should his request be granted it would give Arkansas' frontcourt a veteran presence capable of anchoring the interior. However, Arkansas will be in the same boat next season if the coaching staff decides not to invest in a quality rim protector as stretch forward Trevon Brazile finishes out his collegiate eligibility in the coming weeks. Arkansas Razorbacks recruit Jordan Smith with coach John Calipari during weekend official visit in Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas Communications There will be plenty of players enter the transfer portal with close to 50 players who've already announced a decision to begin looking for their next destination. Many other names will trickle in before the portal officially opens April 7, but there are a few intriguing bigs available.Murauskas is a physical forward known for rebounding and interior toughness. He impacts games without needing touches, scoring primarily around the rim and on second-chance opportunities. Projects as a rotation piece who can anchor the glass.Evans is a former top recruit with length and athleticism. He shows defensive versatility and the ability to attack off the dribble, while consistently drawing fouls. His offensive game improved drastically this season but his upside makes him a potential two-way impact player if he decides to play at Arkansas next season with assistant coach Kenny PayneGoode has been a productive scoring big who operates as a stretch option. Goode can space the floor and score facing the basket, giving him value in modern offensive systems. Questions remain about how his game translates defensively against Power Four conferences.Charlotte 49ers center Anton Bonke handles the ball against Memphis Tigers forward Aaron Bradshaw during the first half at FedExForum. | Wesley Hale-Imagn ImagesBonke is a sizable big man who became a quality center at the mid-major level but developed into a stretch big man during the regular season. He became an exceptional finisher at the rim by making 58% of his attempts from two-point range and would give Arkansas someone who can be physical on each end attacking the glass.These types of players don't come along very often, especially at the level Arkansas currently has in Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. With Smith's struggles beyond the arc at sub-.300, Calipari and his staff will need to flip a few rocks to find someone of their caliber. During his final two years at Kentucky, his staff was able to identify Antonio Reeves from Illinois State to lead a transformative offense unseen in Lexington prior to that point. Reeves played in 67 games for the Wildcats across two seasons and boasted shooting splits of .467/.422/.830 which were all career-high marks across the board. One of the best shooters in the country during the regular season was Liberty shooting guard Brett Decker, who drilled 114-of-242 three-point attempts . He'll be a junior next season with at least two years left to play. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound point guard was a pivotal piece to the Flames' 26-win season and scored 20 points while connecting on 2-of-5 three pointers in 73-63 loss to Nevada in the second round of the NIT. There is no substitute for extensive playing time, especially over the first two seasons at any level, including mid-majors. Arkansas can't go wrong dipping into a talent pool full of players who can light it up from the floor. New Mexico Lobos guard Jake Hall controls the ball against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. | James Snook-Imagn Images Another scoring guard in the Mountain West who excelled this season is New Mexico sharpshooter Jake Hall. The 6-foot-4, 200 pound true freshman averaged more than 16 points per game while connecting on 116-of-257 attempts from deep which ranked No. 5 nationally at 45.1%. Should Hall enter the transfer portal, he'll be among the most sought after commodities in the offseason. Whether Calipari opts for proven production or developmental upside, Arkansas’ next step in roster construction will center on adding a solid shooter and rim protection which are needs that will likely be addressed once the transfer portal opens in the coming weeks.Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
![Permanent Researcher Positions for Materials Science [R26-01~12] - Tsukuba, Ibaraki (JP) job with National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)](https://i.headtopics.com/images/2026/3/24/nature/permanent-researcher-positions-for-materials-scien-permanent-researcher-positions-for-materials-scien-FECB876C639F4F81BBF4EEB935FE6302.webp?w=640)
Permanent Researcher Positions for Materials Science [R26-01~12] - Tsukuba, Ibaraki (JP) job with National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS, Tsukuba, Japan) invites international applications from researchers who can conduct research in materials science. NIMS employs outstanding scientists from various countries who have abundant knowledge and strong research skills in materials science.
Read more »
Five Positions the Houston Texans Have Noticeably ImprovedThe Houston Texans are building one of the best rosters in the AFC.
Read more »
2026 AFC Team Free Agency Grades: Raiders Stock Up, While Dolphins Clean HouseLas Vegas receives high marks for making significant improvements at various positions. Meanwhile, Miami ranks lower for how it stripped down its roster.
Read more »
Department of Correction pushes for more staff, overtime in $1.4B budget as advocates call for downsize inTouting a $1.4 billion plan to fill 1,300 empty positions and pay staff overtime, Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards said improving jail
Read more »
Nationals Are Figuring Out What Positions Their Young Infield Prospects Will PlayWith a major logjam at the lower levels of their minor league system, the Washington Nationals are figuring out what positions those prospects are going to play.
Read more »
Albert Breer’s Mailbag: Why Detroit Won’t Draft Jared Goff’s ReplacementThe Lions have other positions to address. Plus, Bryce Young’s future in Carolina, Kansas City’s plan for Justin Fields and more.
Read more »