Johnell Davis, AAC Player of the Year, Commits to Arkansas in Transfer Portal

Mike McDaniel | May 1, 2024

Mar 16, 2024; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls guard Johnell Davis (1) drives to the / Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Former Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis, a pillar for the program's 2022-23 Final Four team and the reigning AAC Player of the Year, has committed to John Calipari and Arkansas, he announced on social media Wednesday.

Davis, who was considered to be one of the best players in college basketball to enter the transfer portal, posted career highs in points (18.2), rebounds (6.3), assists (2.9) and three-point field goal percentage (41.4%) in 34 starts for the Owls last season.

Davis' official departure from the program after declaring for the NBA draft, while also entering the transfer portal last month, now puts FAU in a position of total overhaul heading into next season. The Owls lost coach Dusty May to Michigan, and now all five starters have been lost to either the transfer portal or graduation.

As for Arkansas, the addition of Davis immediately bolsters the backcourt for Calipari in his first year in Fayetteville. Davis is a proven big-time performer, and will be an immediate impact player in the SEC.

It's been a big few weeks for Calipari since taking over the Arkansas job, as he's quickly overhauled the roster. Davis joins Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo, Kentucky transfer Zvonimir Ivisic and top recruits Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond and Carter Knox in forming Calipari's first roster at Arkansas, which should compete near the top of the SEC after missing the NCAA tournament last season.