Calipari Heads to European-Asian Border Looking for Razorbacks

It appears Arkansas coach has one specific target in mind

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during his introductory press conference at Bud Walton Arena on April 10, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. / Craven Whitlow-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Everyone knew having John Calipari as coach at Arkansas would be a different experience, but it's unlikely anyone had looking up top recruits in Istanbul on the bingo card.

Yet, days after the NBA raided much of Europe for its draft, not only is Calipari traipsing around Turkey's largest city where Europe and Asia meets overlooking the Sea of Mamara, but he's got connections. Instead of wandering aimlessly hoping Google Maps can get him to good food and the homes of the next great Razorback, he's hanging out with his former player Derek Willis.

I’m in Istanbul recruiting. My former player, Derek Willis and his wife Keely met me for lunch. So proud of them. And they are having a baby!!! pic.twitter.com/TkIHTfyr3r

— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) June 29, 2024

The logical thought is to wonder how a basketball coach in Arkansas even finds out about a player from Turkey. Of course, the obvious is Willis heard about a player or ran into one at a skills camp and tipped off Calipari.

However, it turns out there is a database used by the NBA to keep an eye on a handful of basketball players in Turkey for past and future NBA drafts. It's likely that Calipari, a former NBA coach and one who is well connected with league scouting departments, is more than aware of these databases of overseas players.

There's clearly precedent. It's why Croatian Zvonimir Ivisic is currently a 7-foot-2 monster for the Razorbacks by way of Kentucky.

Short of Calipari saying who he's there recruiting, which Arkansas fans should hope doesn't happen because it's one of the few recruiting rules the NCAA can still enforce, it's hard to say for sure who he's there to see. However, the list of high level basketball players from Turkey is short.

Narrow that down those who fit the current recruiting window and then to areas in and around Istanbul and the list constricts down to three names. This is where the third possible window into how Calipari identifies overseas players pops up.

All three possible candidates play at prep schools in the United States down in Florida. Kerimalp Karahan is at DME Academy, while Demir Demiralp and Melih Basatli are apparently teammates at Montverde.

Basatli is listed as a forward despite only being 6-foot-2. However, his highlights from this past season make this a little understandable as he is playing against boys in a man's body.

Also, he doesn't play his game like a forward. He's shows prowess as a catch and shoot three-point threat with range and is able to use his size and the usual European style of movement when attacking the basket to hit short jumpers and lay-ups with his body in awkward positions.

As for Karahan, it's probably safe to rule him out. His highlights include a game where DME is down by almost 50 and he comes in to get one point and one assist. Not exactly Razorback material, even for those "walk-on" spots Calipari likes to talk about so much.

As for Demiralp, there is video available showing him as a promising outside shooter. However, he just sort of disappears after 2023, so it's unlikely this is who Calipari is flying to the other side of the world to recruit no matter how nice of a working vacation it might be.

So, while it's impossible to know for sure under the current circumstances, it appears Basatli is the most likely candidate. Otherwise, Calipari just wanted to take a nice summer trip and find a way to write off a lot of the expenses.

HOGS FEED:

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• How Calipari missed out on drafting NBA legend

• Failures of others shouldn't fall on Calipari's shoulders

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