Calipari’s first Arkansas roster offers handful of talented, inexperienced rotation players

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas head coach John Calipari has professed, and delivered on, a less-is-more approach when it comes to his high school recruiting while building his first Razorbacks basketball roster, but make no mistake there’ll be a handful of talented but still unproven players when the 2024-25 season tips off in November.

Overall, the top 9 rotation offers plenty of Division 1 college experience including NCAA Tournament success.

The quality D1 resumes come in the form of senior transfers and roster centerpieces Nelly Davis and Jonas Aidoo (more on that duo linked here in my recent Hogville article: https://forums.hogville.net/index.php?topic=768156.0) as well as junior X-factors / wildcards Adou Thiero and Trevon Brazile (more on that duo linked here in my recent Hogville article: https://forums.hogville.net/index.php?topic=768083.0).

But the quintet of DJ Wagner, Zvonimir Ivisic, Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, and Billy Richmond — while packing plenty of pre-college accolades — is a group of players that ranges from brand new to lightly experienced relative to the college game.

That’s not necessarily a problem as Calipari has decades of experience guiding freshmen-one-and-done top-heavy rosters to success, including in March, but even the Head Hog acknowledged on Thursday in a tweet that fans should temper expectations with patience.

“The staff and the players have all taken a couple weeks off and get back this weekend,” he said. “We set the foundation for the culture we are looking to establish this summer that will drive players individually and collectively. We want talented players who are grinders, who play for each other and play to win.

“It appears that all of you Razorback Fans are just as excited as I am as you have already bought all the season tickets!! Let me say thank you for your belief in this group! Let me say this, what we look like at the beginning is not what we will look like at the end. Let’s all of us enjoy the growth of this team throughout the season so that we are all at our best in March. Can’t wait to get back on campus this weekend!”

Here’s a breakdown of what the youth movement brings to Calipari’s inaugural campaign in Fayetteville …

– Four former 5-star players in high school, including three McDonald’s All Americans (Wagner in 2023 and Fland and Knox in 2024) and two Jordan Brand Classic all stars (Fland and Richmond in 2024).

– Four backcourt players (guards and wings) in Wagner, Fland, Knox, and Richmond with a combined 29 games of college experience, all of which belonged to Wagner in his rookie season at Kentucky in ’23-24 before transferring to Arkansas in the offseason.

- Wagner (6-4 sophomore guard) started 28 of the 29 games he played in last season while battling a high ankle sprain, averaging 9.9 points, 3.3 assists, 1.9 rebounds while shooting 40.5% from the field, including 29.2% from 3, and 76.6% at the free throw line. The injury impacted his overall effectiveness and field goal shooting efficiency. Wagner impressively recorded a better than 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio as he helped guide the ‘Cats to a final Top 20 national ranking and a berth into the NCAAT.

Wagner had his SEC high-water scoring mark in Kentucky’s 111-102 home win over Arkansas on March 2, notching 19 points (6-of-7 field goals, including 4-of-5 from 3, and 3-of-4 free throws) to go with 1 rebound in 26 minutes. He scored in double-figures in a total of seven SEC games, and a total of 13 times counting non-conference games, including back-to-back 20-plus-point outings in wins over St. Joe’s (22 points) and Marshall (career-high 28 points). He also had seven games of dishing out 5 or more assists, including his career-high 10 dimes as part of his first career double-double (he also scored 18 points) in the Wildcats’ 105-96 home win over Georgia on Jan. 20.

“I know what DJ is, just needs to continue to get healthy with that ankle,” Calipari said during a July 29 summer-recap press conference at Bud Walton Arena.

Wagner is projected to be a day one starter for the Hogs at the lead guard spot, and it’s reasonable to think he can have an All SEC kind of breakout season before entering the 2025 NBA Draft pool in the spring.

– Two of the incoming 5-star talents, Fland (6-2 freshman guard) and Knox (6-6 freshman guard / wing), seem to be the most likely options for Calipari if he chooses to maintain his tradition of having a rookie (or rookies) in the starting lineup. Both seem destined to figure into the team’s top 7 rotation whether they start or not.

Fland participated in three prestigious postseason all-star games: 2024 McDonald’s All American (17 points on 6-of-14 field goals, including 3-of-6 from 3, and 2-of-2 free throws, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists); the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit (9 points on 4-of-8 field goals, including 1-of-2 from 3, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal); and the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic (6 points on 3-of-9 field goals, including 0-of-3 from 3, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 rebound). He averaged 10.7 points (including 36.4% from 3), 3.0 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in the three all-star games. Fland has participated in USA Basketball junior national events and camps spanning the past couple of years.

Fland averaged 19.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per game as a senior at Archbishop Stepinac in ’23-24 while earning Mr. Basketball of New York honors.

“Boogie is better than I thought,” Calipari said in that July 29 presser.

At the same media event, Fland confirmed his role as a lead guard.

“Definitely a point guard, just being a leader on the court,” Fland said. “Whatever coach asked me to do, I’ll do, making sure me and my teammates (are) locked in on the court. I’m gonna be the coach on the court.”

Knox averaged 23.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 31.4 minutes per game while shooting 43.9% from the field, including 34.0% from 3, and 63.2% from the free throw line as he played for RWE in the Overtime Elite program in Atlanta in ’23-24. 

He had 9 points (4-of-6 field goals, including 1-of-1 from 3) and 1 rebound in 12 minutes in the 2024 McDonald’s All American game played in early April. A phenom at Tampa (Fla.) Catholic before moving to OTE for his senior season, Knox is the younger brother of former Kentucky star and NBA first-round lottery pick Kevin Knox, who played for Calipari in his one-and-done season as a Wildcat.

Calipari used summer drill work to encourage Knox to drive to the basket more and not settle on perimeter shots.

“‘Karter you’re not settling on jump shots. Nope, not happening.'” Calipari said of his instructions to Knox during summer practices. “And any time he drives and gets to the rim, I stop the practice. That’s what I’m talking about, why doesn’t he do that more? Because he’s uncomfortable. It’s easier shooting jump shots, I don’t need you shooting jump shots, I need you to be that guy.”

Calipari has an unprecedented track record of developing high-caliber freshmen into all conference performers who quickly go on to be high NBA draft picks, and Fland and Knox could be the next in line. Both are already picking up first-round projections in various NBA mock drafts.

Fland — a shifty and savvy scorer/facilitator — will split lead guard duties with Wagner, and there may be times both are on the court together. Knox — an alpha-mentality scorer who is not bashful about getting up shots — will factor in mostly as a wing. Both could be among the leading scorers on the team with Fland in the hunt to be a force as a facilitator, too. But there won’t be pressure for either player to carry the brunt of the workload in the backcourt as Davis and Wagner will shoulder much of it, and that could bode well for the talented freshmen duo, especially early in the season followed by the initial portions of SEC play.

- Richmond (6-5 freshman wing) also comes in with 5-star credentials as a national Top 25 rated player in the 2024 high school class. As a senior at Camden (NJ) High School in ’23-24, Richmond averaged 17.6 points (he made 24 three-pointers in 30 games, and he shot 73.2% from the free throw line), 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals per contest. He took part in the prestigious 2024 Jordan Brand Classic all-star game, finishing with 4 points (2-of-6 field goals, including 0-of-2 from 3), 1 rebound, and 1 assist in 9 minutes.

Richmond — an elite downhill slasher and transition finisher as a rim-hunter who has shown some promise as a pull-up mid-range shooter — will have a role as he factors into the team’s top 9 rotation as a freshman. He projects as an eventual plus-defender if not elite, and if he progresses quickly he could emerge as a key piece to the Hogs’ success in ’24-25.

Calipari is working with the lefty to be more reliable as a perimeter shooter.

“Billy Richmond, he’s just got to get more consistent shooting, and where can you shoot where they have to guard you because when they guard you, you’re going by people,” Calipari said. “Like, he’s good.”

- Ivisic (7-2 sophomore center) has plenty of veteran experience around him on the frontline, which is a good thing given he played just 15 games last season as a true freshman at Kentucky.

In his lone half-season at UK, he averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in only 11.7 minutes per game while shooting 57.7% from the field, including 6-of-16 from from 3 for 37.5%, and 77.3% from the free throw line. Ivisic scored 13 points (including hitting 3-of-4 from 3) to go with 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, and 2 steals in his Division 1 debut in Kentucky’s 105-96 home win over Georgia on Jan. 20. He scored in double-figures a total of four games, including his career-high of 18 points to go with 5 rebounds and 4 blocks in the Wildcats’ 117-95 home win over Alabama on Feb. 24. He had six games of recording multiple blocks. 

“I’m not letting (Ivisic) shoot any threes,” Calipari said. “Big Z, 7-foot-2, he wants to shoot — no, no, no. You’re not shooting threes, so now he has to shoot twos. You know why? An elbow jumper, when you miss that, it’s kind of embarrassing. A three when you’re 7-foot-2 and you’re way out there, ah man he almost made that. No, you’re shooting twos and that means you’re going to get in the gym and get better or you’re going to be embarrassed all the time. And you know what, he’s getting better.”

Ivisic factors into the top 9 rotation as he will serve as the team’s back-up center on a team that only goes four-deep on the frontline. He is long, he finishes well with touch near the rim and with force finishing above the rim, he’s skilled with face-up shooting game all the way out to the three-point line, and he has a high floor IQ with good instincts as a defender.

– Should Calipari look beyond his top 9 rotation for a 10th player to contribute, whether that be via consistent role and minutes or intermittent contributions as circumstances warrant, the two most likely candidates are incoming freshman Casmir Chavis (6-2 guard) and junior D2 transfer Melo Sanchez (6-4 guard).

Chavis was a first-team all-state selection last season while leading Park Center High School (Minneapolis, Minn.) to a 25-3 record as he averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per outing. After originally signing with Washington before re-opening his recruitment, he landed at Arkansas last month. His recruitment had included varying levels of interest from Georgia, Mississippi State, Memphis, West Virginia, Clemson, Arizona State, and Oregon State.

Chavis — gifted as a slasher and in transition, both as a finisher and facilitator — will provide depth at the lead guard spot.

“I chose Arkansas because the development players get is one of the best in the country, and it’s a very nice and supportive community,” Chavis told Hogville in July just after committing to the Hogs. “You have some of the best coaches, and to get coached by them I couldn’t pass up on it.”

Sanchez started all 29 games he played in last season at Hawaii Pacific, averaging 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, while shooting 73-of-211 from 3 for 35%. When combining his two seasons at HPU, who shot 40% from 3 on plus volume.

It’s conceivable Sanchez could factor into a gravity, floor-spacer role in situational stretches of games next season.