Calipari lands seventh Arkansas commit in versatile Kentucky transfer win Adou Thiero

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — The seventh Arkansas commitment is the second from Kentucky’s transfer portal to get on board for the John Calipari era in Fayetteville as versatile Wildcats sophomore transfer Adou Thiero pledged to the Razorbacks on Monday.

Thiero (6-8 wing, Leetsdale, Pa.) visited Arkansas last week, and he had the Hoop Hogs among a handful of finalists shortly after entering the portal, a list that included North Carolina, Indiana, Pitt, and a possible return to Kentucky.

As a sophomore in 2023-24, Thiero started in 19 of the 25 games he played in and averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in only 21.3 minutes per outing while shooting 49.2% from the field, including 7-of-22 from 3 for 31.8%, and 80.0% from the free throw line.

He averaged 2.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steal against Arkansas in ’23-24 as Kentucky swept the two-game hone-and-away series. He had five games of scoring in double figures as a sophomore with three of the those coming against SEC foes and the other two against No. 1 Kansas and Gonzaga.

Against the Jayhawks in an 89-84 loss in November, Thiero registered a double-double — a career-high 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

Thiero has two seasons of remaining playing eligibility. ESPN’s chief NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony recently projected Thiero as a late-first round selection in his first 2025 NBA mock draft.

He becomes Calipari’s seventh commitment since coming to Arkansas, which also makes him the seventh scholarship player on the Razorbacks roster that can have as many as 13 scholarship players for the upcoming ’24-25 season. He joins FAU transfer and AAC Co-Player of the Year Johnell Davis (6-4 guard), Tennessee’s All SEC transfer Jonas Aidoo (6-11 forward / center), Kentucky freshman transfer Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2 forward / center), and 2024 5-star backcourt studs Karter Knox (6-6), Boogie Fland (6-2), and Billy Richmond (6-6), all of whom pledged to Arkansas earlier in April.