Endurance is carrying skinny for the Arkansas fanbase, because the Razorbacks basketball staff nonetheless has obvious wants forward of the 2024 NBA Draft withdrawal date on Might 29.
Fret not, as head coach John Calipari is shifting by way of the shadows behind the scenes to make sure the Hoop Hogs have probably the most aggressive rosters within the nation through the 2024-25 season.
Arkansas has already made appearances in preseason rankings regardless of solely having seven scholarship gamers, although it helps when a few of these are names like Johnell Davis, Jonas Aidoo and Boogie Fland.
RELATED: Arkansas Basketball 2024-25 Roster Tracker
The newest rumblings appear to point that Calipari is targeted on including 1-to-3 extra contributors both from the NBA Draft withdrawal pool or the abroad market.
HawgBeat offers a recap with the most recent intel, together with best-fit rankings of Arkansas’ identified precedence targets:
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No. 1 – F Coleman Hawkins, Illinois
In addition to an skilled level guard, a ahead able to stretching the ground and initiating some offense is the most important remaining want for the Razorbacks.
Hawkins is the unequivocal greatest match, because the 6-foot-10, 225-pound senior averaged 12.1 factors, 6.1 rebounds and a couple of.7 assists per sport final season whereas taking pictures 45.1% from the sphere, 36.9% from past the arch and 79.2% from the charity stripe.
Nonetheless scheduled to satisfy with NBA groups this week, Hawkins has made it identified that his principal aim is to remain within the draft and forego his final 12 months of collegiate eligibility. Nonetheless, he’d probably earn a big NIL payday if he selected to return to school and Arkansas is not terrified of utilizing its assets to get what it needs.
Ought to Hawkins delay his skilled profession by one other 12 months, Arkansas will likely be a serious contender for his companies. North Carolina was one other program with curiosity, although that will me moot after the Tar Heels landed the dedication of switch ahead Ven Allen-Lubin.
No. 2 – PG DJ Wagner, Kentucky
Tick tock, Mr. Wagner. After visiting the Razorbacks two weeks in the past, Wagner’s recruitment has been at an obvious standstill. He hasn’t taken some other identified visits since then, and the connections to the Arkansas program are too arduous to disregard.
In a world the place expertise and continuity are beneficial, Wagner is an important piece of the puzzle for the Hogs’ roster building. With out him, Arkansas must depend on somebody like Fland to prepared the ground in solely his freshman marketing campaign.
For the Wildcats beneath Calipari final season, Wagner earned a spot on the All-SEC Freshman staff after averaging 9.9 factors, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per sport. The 6-foot-4, 192-pound switch shot 40.5% from the sphere, 29.2% from past the arch and 76.6% from the charity stripe.
No. 3 – F Jaylen Wells, Washington State
If you consider a real NBA wing prototype participant, Wells suits the mildew practically completely. Standing at 6-foot-8, 205-pounds, he has the dimensions to carry his personal on the perimeter and is a lethal sharpshooter as he made 41.7% of his pictures from distance final season.
Wells ranked within the 99th percentile out of spot-up taking pictures and is the roster piece to raise a staff from darkhorse to a contender. Will an NBA staff take an opportunity on him within the second spherical? Will he wish to flip down large NIL for a contract that may virtually positively pay him much less?
If the solutions to these two questions lead him to a school return, count on Arkansas to push for his signature if the Hogs cannot land Hawkins.
No. 4 – G Wooga Poplar, Miami
Buzz round Poplar’s recruitment with Arkansas had gone to the wayside in latest weeks, however a report from Jack Pilgrim of KSR stating that the Miami switch is predicted to go to Arkansas together with Kentucky and Oregon modified that.
A lights-out three-point shooter who has impressed on the G-League Mix, Poplar has been there and accomplished that all through his collegiate profession with Closing 4 expertise and a real scoring mentality.
The one motive Poplar is not larger on this record is as a result of there can solely be one participant with the ball in his fingers. Assuming Wagner commits and performs the lead guard place and Davis works off the ball, that would go away a variety of mouths to feed if Poplar joined the fold as effectively.
Nonetheless, touchdown a participant that averaged 13.1 factors, 4.8 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists per sport within the ACC whereas taking pictures 38.5% from past the arch is one thing you may stay with.
No. 5 – G Egor Demin, Actual Madrid
Calipari isn’t any stranger to recruiting abroad, as he already has one international participant in massive man Zvonimir Ivisic on the roster. Actual Madrid versatile combo-wing Demin has picked up a variety of steam with the Hogs, and will doubtlessly match a number of wants without delay.
Due to his reported 6-foot-9 dimension and playmaking talents, Demin may realistically play wherever from 1-to-4 on the court docket if wanted. Considered as a high-end 2025 NBA Draft prospect, Demin not too long ago dropped a 19-point, 6-rebound, 4-assist efficiency in 28 minutes in opposition to Milan within the Adidas Subsequent Era Match.
Illinois was as soon as the perceived favourite to land Demin, however BYU and the Razorbacks at the moment are the 2 identified packages in rivalry for the do-it-all prospect.
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