Possible Rotation For Razorbacks Not Young But Inexperienced

Calipari's first team will continue mirror image of past Kentucky, Memphis teams

Former Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari during the first half against Tennessee during 2024 SEC play. / Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Razorbacks coach John Calipari has quite the issue going into next season. Being paid $8 million per year, he reserves the right to figure out who starts, what minutes go to certain guys and which lineup runs best together. 

Kentucky was one of the best offensive teams in the country this season. Thanks to plenty of talented offensive players capable of spreading out defenses, it was rare to see the Wildcats held to less than 85 points on a given night. Calipari’s final team in Lexington finished the season with a 122.2 grade in KenPom’s offensive efficiency ranking which ranked No. 7 nationally. 

The Wildcats were equally dreadful on defense with an adjusted rating of 102.9, which ranked No. 109 in the country and No. 9 in the SEC. Kentucky didn’t necessarily have the oldest team last season with nine underclassmen on the roster. Teams were much older on average last season with Villanova topping the list at 22.8 years old. The Razorbacks were second at 22.7 years. On the flip side, Kentucky’s average age was 20.2. The team’s youthfulness combined with pace of play were likely causes for lapses defensively.

Calipari’s Arkansas roster as it stands averages out right at 20 years old which is similar to last season, and even closer to the Anthony Davis led squad which was 19.7 years in 2012. With the Razorbacks coach potentially only bringing in 8-10 players it should keep the average about the same considering who they’re targeting. Former Kentucky point guard DJ Wagner turns 20 and USF transfer Kasean Pryor will be 23. That boosts the Hogs’ roster into the 20.7 year range which is still considerably young. 

Transfers like Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo already bolster the roster. Both are proven commodities who have helped their teams to deep NCAA Tournament runs. They’re likely to have prominent roles as starters next season at shooting guard and center, respectively. 

Davis played a huge role in FAU's Final Four run two seasons ago. This season, he was the Owls primary offensive weapon and flourished. He finished No. 22 in adjusted offensive efficiency ranking last season. While on the floor Davis took an astounding 27.1 percent of FAU’s shots. His top performance came in a non-conference road duel against Arizona. The 6-4 guard posted 35 points on 15-of-27 shooting. Davis had a complete game tacking on nine rebounds, three steals and three assists.

Depending on how offseason additions go, true freshman point guard Boogie Fland will receive the nod at this point. Small forward will likely be a fierce battle between true freshman Karter Knox and Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero.

Knox is a very talented scorer finishing his final year on the prep scene with 23 points per game for Overtime Elite. He made 44% of his shot attempts from the floor, 34% behind the arc but was up-and-down at the charity stripe at 63%. He scored 29 or more points on six occasions which bodes well for the next level. 

Thiero comes to Arkansas following his sophomore season with Kentucky. He wasn’t a prominent scorer this season but improved drastically from his freshman year. He scored over seven points per game to go along with five rebounds. He shot nearly 50% from the field, 32% from three and 80% at the line. 

Ivisic showed flashes of his ability last season when the NCAA declared him eligible to play. In his first outing against Georgia January 20, he scored 13 points including 3-of-4 made three pointers, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists. The 7-2 big man swung a no-look pass behind his back to the perimeter for a made three. Foreign players are much more developed ball handlers at this stage of their basketball careers which should benefit him as a trusted piece for Calipari's first Arkansas roster.

Projected Arkansas Rotation

PG: Boogie Fland
SG: Johnell Davis
SF: Karter Knox
PF: Zvonimir Ivisic
C: Jonas Aidoo
6: Adou Thiero
7. Billy Richmond

There's certainly plenty of time for Arkansas' staff to put a roster together. It's been more of a methodical process compared to what Razorbacks fans are accustomed to under former coach Eric Musselman. If Calipari manages to land Wagner and/or Pryor this cycle the rotation would obviously change and it wouldn't be a bad thing.

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