Calipari’s ON- & OFF-campus Arkansas men’s basketball visit updates

By Kevin McPherson
on 2024-09-20 09:20 AM

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — The NCAA’s much-anticipated “recruiting period” opened on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and first-year Arkansas head coach John Calipari along with his coaching staff wasted no time criss-crossing the country out of the gates to check on priority Hoop Hog targets in both the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes.

Several of the players Calipari went out to see first happen to be 5-star prospects who have scheduled upcoming visits to Arkansas.

With 2025 national Top 5 / 5-star prospect Darius Acuff, Jr. (6-3 guard, Detroit, IMG Academy) already on board with an Arkansas commitment, Calipari is laser-focused on the likes of 2025 national Top 5ish / 5-star ranked Koa Peat (6-8 combo forward, Perry High School, Gilbert, Ariz., his Arkansas visit was scheduled for Sept. 13-15, but a source told Hogville on Wednesday, Sept. 11, that Peat would likely reschedule); Meleek Thomas (6-4 guard, Pittsburgh, Overtime Elite, had a Sept. 13-15 UA visit set but switched that to Oct. 4-6); Caleb Wilson (6-9 combo forward, Atlanta, Holy Innoncents school, UA visit date set but not yet publicly announced); Chris Cenac, Jr. (6-10 forward / center, Link Academy, plans to visit Arkansas the weekend of Oct. 18-20); and Kingston Flemings (6-3 point guard, San Antonio, Texas, plans to visit Arkansas the weekend of Oct. 18-20) in addition to 2026 national Top 5 / 5-star Miikka Muurinen (6-11 stretch-4, Finland, Arizona Compass Prep, UA visit scheduled for Sept. 20-22) who is a “strong candidate” to re-classify to 2025 according to a source.

Also planning a visit to Arkansas the weekend of Oct. 18-20 is 2026 in-state 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews (6-7 wing, Little Rock Christian Academy, ESPN national No. 15 prospect)

There are other 2025 and 2026 prospects the Arkansas staff will be checking in on during their travels as well.

Here at Hogville, we’re keeping a running tab on the who, what, when, and where of Calipari’s on-campus visitors and off-campus recruiting efforts …

Friday, August 30, 2024

* Source: Arkansas will be on hand at Arizona Compass Prep for Pro & Media Day in early Sept … among prospects participating will be 2026 first-year AZCP guard, 501 son, & Nat’l No. 25 / 4-star Jacob Lanier @IamJacob2026
…

              * * * * *

Monday, Sept. 2, 2024

* Reminder that Arkansas is planning to be on hand at Arizona Compass Prep for Pro & Media Day later this wk … 2026 first-year AZCP guard, 501 son, & Nat’l No. 25 / 4-star Jacob Lanier @IamJacob2026; ’25 stock-riser Marcus Jackson; & ’26 5-star Hog offer Miikka Muurinen (6-11 F)

              * * * * *

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024

* As I reported on Monday, Arkansas coaches will be at Arizona Compass Prep this week to see 2026 5-star Miikka Muurinen (6-11 F) among others, and apparently he’ll OV to Arkansas on wknd of Sept. 21-22 … I’m told he’s a “strong reclass candidate” which could mean move to c/o 2025

              * * * * *

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024

* Could be a BIG off-campus visit Wed in the ATL for John Calipari & Arkansas …

-Saw ’25 priority 5* Hog target Caleb Wilson (6-9 CF) in the a.m.

-On deck a stop @ Overtime Elite for priority 5* Hog target Meleek Thomas (6-4 G) & ’26 Nat’l Top 30 Hog target Tay Kinney (6-2 G)?

* This shoutout is regarding Arkansas HC John Calipari & Hogs asst coming in Wed morning to see ’25 priority Hog target & Nat’l No. 4 / 5-star Caleb Wilson @CalebWilson2025
(6-9 CF, Atlanta, Holy Innocents) during first day of NCAA’s “recruiting period” …

* College coaches expected to be in attendance for today’s action (@ Overtime Elite for Meleek Thomas) 👀

-Arkansas 
-SMU
-Clemson
-Pittsburgh
-Stanford
-Purdue
-Tennessee
-Mississippi State

* Told y’all I loved his swagger after covering him in person @ Nike EYBL in KC in May … U get a good glimpse of it in this reel … ’25 priority Arkansas target & Nat’l No. 6 / 5-star Meleek Thomas @ThomasMeleek (6-4 G, Pittsburgh), who hosted Cal on Wed & plans to visit UA soon

* ’25 priority Arkansas target & Nat’l No. 6 / 5* Meleek Thomas @ThomasMeleek (6-4) seen here flippin’ the switch during his 1st offical @OvertimeElite run … elite 2-guard w/chops & traits as a set-up combo guard … fearless w/swagger, plans UA visit soon

* While in ATL on Wed, Arkansas HC John Calipari & Hogs asst were at Grayson HS to see 2026 Nat’l No. 3 / 5* Caleb Holt @iamcalebholt (6-5 wing) … I was @ Adidas 3SSB in May in TX when Calipari was courtside to see Holt (Game Elite) play ’25 5* Hog target Koa Peat (Compton Magic)

              * * * * *

Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024

* “Coach Cal & one of his assistants will be at (Arizona Compass Prep) pro day today (Thurs)”

-Source regarding Arkansas HC John Calipari’s plans to see ’26 (considering reclass to ’25) Hog offer Miikka Muurinen (6-11 F, Finland, Nike E16 Peach Jam MVP) and ’26 Top 25 Jacob Lanier

* Told y’all he’d be out west in the desert today, & sure enuff there was Arkansas HC John Calipari (looks like associate HC Chin Coleman was there, too) @ AZ Compass Prep to check out ’26 Hog target & Nat’l No. 5 / 5* Miikka Muurinen & ’26 4* Jacob Lanier

Photo:
@griffgreenberg

* In addition to checking on highly regarded 2026 prospects Miikka Muurinen & Jacob Lanier on Thurs @ AZ Compass Prep Pro Day, Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman also able to see ’26 Nat’l Top 15 / 5-star Kaden House among others …

* Very likely another multi-task recruiting day for Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman while in Arizona; confirmed stop @ AZ Compass Prep for ’26s 5* Miikka Muurinen & 4* Jacob Lanier, AND mostly likely checkin’ on ’25 5* Koa Peat (6-8 CF, Perry HS, Gilbert, AZ), too

              * * * * *

Friday, Sept. 6, 2024

* Source: Arkansas expected to be in this week to see 2026 Hog target & Nat’l No. 6 / 5-star Tajh Ariza @_theetajhariza (6-8 wing, Westchester Senior in Cali) … son of former NBA baller Trevor Ariza

* ’25 Hog target & Nat’l Top 10 / 5-star Chris Cenac, Jr. (6-10 F/C, Link Academy) plans to visit Arkansas on Oct. 19 … I’ve reported for wks that Cenac wanted to visit UA & originally ear-marked mid-Sept visit date; expect Cal to stop by Link soon to see Cenac

* Source: Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman were at St. John Bosco (Calif.) on Fri to see 2026 Hog offer & Nat’l No. 2 / 5-star Brandon McCoy, Jr. @g0beezy (6-4 G) & 2026 Nat’l No. 9 / 5-star Christian Collins @_ChristianC11_ (6-8 F) …

* It was Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman who were at Perry HS ( Ariz.) late this week to see 2025 Hog target & Nat’l No. 5 / 5-star Koa Peat @kpeat10 (6-8 CF) … Peat is set to OV at Arkansas next wknd (Sept. 13-15)

* Arkansas asst coach Chuck Martin has been involved w/2025 Nat’l Top 30 Shon Abaev (6-7 wing, Calvary Christian in Fla.) & Hoop Hogs staffer(s) apparently stopped by to see him this week … impressed w/Abaev watching him go off for dbl-dbl (22p, 10a, 7r) in UA Next Elite 24 game

* Indeed it was Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman in to see 2026 Hog target & Nat’l No. 6 / 5-star Tajh Ariza @_theetajhariza (6-8 wing, Westchester Senior in Cali) on Friday … son of former NBA baller Trevor Ariza

              * * * * *

Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024

* Can confirm Arkansas was at Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (Calif.) late in the week to see 2026 Hog offer & Nat’l No. 1 / 5-star Tyran Stokes @tyran_stokes, who at 6-7 is a threat to mess around & get a trpl-dbl every time he steps on the court; bigger, modern-day version of Jason Kidd

              * * * * *

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024

* 2025 Hog target & Nat’l Top 50 / 4* Isaiah Sealy @isaiah_sealy (6-7 G) told me Arkansas assoc HC Kenny Payne was @ Springdale HS on Tues to see him … Sealy also said he & UA staff are in contact “almost daily” & he “for sure” plans to visit UA soon … OV to St. Louis this wknd

              * * * * *

Monday, Sept. 16, 2024

* 2026 5-star Arkansas target JaShawn “JJ” Andrews @JJAndrews2026 (6-7 wing, LRChistian) adds a visit to Marquette to his list of 5 schools (so far) getting OVs … he’s still on track to visit Arkansas wknd of Oct. 18-20, and he just wrapped up his wknd visit to Missouri …

* “I’m definitely interested (in Arkansas), waiting on Coach Cal & Coach (Chuck) Martin for us to get to that stage (of scheduling a visit). He (Martin) came to see me last week.”

-’25 Nat’l No. 29 Shon Abaev (6-7 CG, Ft. Lauderdale, FL); was MVP of Under Armour Next Elite 24 game

* * * * *

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024

* Confirmed that Arkansas HC John Calipari & asst coach Chuck Martin are planning to be in for ’25 Nat’l No. 29 Shon Abraev (6-7 CG, Calvary Christian Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) on Wed, Sept. 18 …

* Source tells me Arkansas HC John Calipari & assoc HC Chin Coleman were @ Link Academy on Tues to see 2025 Hog target & Nat’l  No. 5 / 5-star Chris Cenac, Jr. @chriscenacjr (6-11 stretch-4) … he’ll visit Arkansas wknd of Oct. 18-20 …

    * * * * *

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024

* Arkansas HC John Calipari & asst coach Chuck Martin were in Wed to see 2025 Nat’l No. 29 Shon Abaev @shon_abaev (6-8 CG, Ft. Lauderdale, FL), & he’s now reporting an Arkansas offer … he told me on Monday that he’s definitely interested in visiting Arkansas …

* Source: Arkansas assoc HC Chin Coleman was at @LRCA_Hoops on Wed to check on ’26 priority Hog target & Nat’l No. 15 / 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews @JJAndrews2026 (6-7 wing), who is set to visit UA wknd of Oct. 18-20 …

* * * * *

Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

* Second stop @ Grayson for Arkansas in the past 2 weeks to see 2026 Nat’l Top 5 / 5-star Caleb Holt @iamcalebholt (6-5 wing) … Head Hog John Calipari was courtside to watch him compete during Adidas 3SSB  circuit play in the spring in TX …

               * * * * *

Friday, Sept. 20, 2024

* Reminder that 2026 Nat’l Top 10 / 5-star Miikka Muurinen (6-11 stretch-4, Finland, AZ Compass Prep) has a visit to Arkansas planned for this wknd … as stated before, I’m told he’s a “strong reclass candidate,” which could mean move to c/o 2025

(Last updated: 2024-09-20 09:20 AM)