Photo Credit: Florida State Athletics / Arkansas Athletics
Portal season has been unusually quiet for Arkansas this year, but antsy fans were finally treated to some good news for the future with the commitment of JJ Andrews, a four-star shooting guard in the Class of 2026.
The 6-foot-7 Little Rock Christian standout, who is ranked as high as No. 22 nationally by ESPN, chose the Hogs over Missouri and LSU in a decision that seemingly came down to the wire. The legacy recruit had been named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas and made the MaxPreps Junior All-American team.
With Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari reeling in the top in-state talent for the next recruiting cycle, attention will now turn back to roster construction for the upcoming season – and there are still a number of moving pieces.
Less than a fortnight remains before the May 28 deadline for draft-eligible players to withdraw their name from NBA consideration and return to college. The dominoes that topple over in the wake of that judgment day will play a major role in how Calipari puts the finishing touches on his next squad.
The Hogs currently have seven solid rotation spots filled out with returners DJ Wagner, Billy Richmond III and Trevon Brazile, transfer big men Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle, and five-star freshmen Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas. Four-star Isaiah Sealy and international prospect Karim Rtail are also inbound, though both are expected to play fringe roles next season.
Calipari is likely to add at least two more players into the fold to round out a solid nine-man rotation, but it doesn’t sound like he has a major overhaul in mind. Either that or he’s just keeping his cards close to his chest.
“It’ll play out,” the Head Hog told Tyler Cass at the Razorback Roadshow on Wednesday. “We have the ability to do more if we choose. Sometimes less is more.”
Here’s a ranking of the most likely pieces that will fill out the rest of the Arkansas roster for the 2025-26 season.
6) Adou Thiero
Never say never, right? Thiero just about did that in a surprisingly candid interview at the Combine.
“The door is not completely shut, but we should know more this week,” Thiero said of any potential return to Arkansas. “For me, the door is kinda closed by my circle around, they want to hear more great things to finally shut that door.”
It sounds like the Hogs’ frontman from last season has his heart set on the pros, and for good reason. Thiero has started to pick up some major steam at the Combine this week, refueling the draft hype he was receiving earlier in the season before a knee injury knocked him out for an extended stretch.
ESPN, CBS and No Ceilings all have him going at the end of the first round, while Yahoo and Bleacher Report both have him going off the board early in the second round. Thiero’s athleticism and physicality make him an intriguing prospect, with some calling him “the most explosive player in the class.”
Adou Thiero – the most explosive player in this class – pairs a 40+ inch vertical with a 7’0 wingspan which enables him to wreak havoc on both ends.
His ground coverage, dunk creation & back line defense is reminiscent of prime Gerald Wallace, w/ a Thompson-like frame . pic.twitter.com/t8WPwIgqPx
— #InSnyderWeTrust (@dlee4three) May 14, 2025
All signs point to Thiero buttering his bread in the NBA next season, meaning the Hogs will have to look further up this list to find a solution in the frontcourt.
5) Darrion Williams
The prospect of adding the man who sent Arkansas home from the NCAA Tournament would certainly create some headlines, but the Texas Tech forward is a talented player who would make a great addition to the Hogs’ frontcourt with his size, shooting range and rebounding ability. He’s ranked as the No. 6 player in the portal, per 247Sports.
Williams averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 43.9% from the field and 34.0% from behind the arc in his junior season. Both ESPN and Bleacher Report have Williams as a second-round pick in their latest mocks, which leaves him in a similar scenario to Watkins – wanting to go pro but being able to make significantly more money with a return to college.
Since he’s been focused on the draft, his college recruitment has been pretty quiet. Rumored destinations include Kansas and a possible return to Texas Tech, which leaves the door pretty open for Coach Cal if he elects to pursue the bruising forward. That would become more likely in the event Knox doesn’t return. Williams would give the Razorbacks a boost of physicality and a versatile two-way piece in the frontcourt – one they got a firsthand look at back in March.
4) Terrion Burgess
Once considered a five-star recruit by some outlets, Burgess has fallen quite a bit in the rankings. He’s still a top-150 prospect, and Rivals still considers him a four-star prospect, but he hasn’t been as highly-regarded as it once looked like he would be.
The 6-foot-8 power forward from Benton was named the MaxPreps Arkansas High School Basketball Player of the Year. Arkansas and Ole Miss have been in contact with Burgess, as well as mid-major schools like Memphis, Wichita State and Little Rock – the latter of which is a frontrunner, according to a source. But if Burgess wants to play at the high-major level and is willing to sacrifice some minutes, signing with Arkansas might be a good decision.
This would be a solid fallback option for Arkansas that would give Calipari an in-state, developmental frontcourt piece who could either redshirt his freshman year or compete for reserve minutes in the frontcourt. Burgess’ lengthy recruitment saga will eventually come to an end, and Arkansas fans will hope he chooses to remain inside his home state.
3) Boogie Fland
Calipari has frequently reiterated that he’s making retention a priority this offseason, and one potential returning Razorback is now back on the table after Fland announced he would be withdrawing from the NBA Draft. Most mock drafts had him as a second-round pick, meaning he could make substantially more money through another year of college while elevating his draft stock for the next cycle.
Rumors broke a couple weeks ago about the defending national champion Florida Gators courting Fland with a staggering NIL offer. While that specific figure of $5-7 million has been debunked through further reporting, head coach Todd Golden does appear to be the early favorite to land Fland out of the transfer portal. Kansas and a return to the Big Apple at St. John’s are also on the table.
ESPN’s Paul Biancardi said the Hogs are “certainly an option, but not a lock” to get Fland back, while Collier reported he “does not envision” him returning to Arkansas. Sharing the floor with Wagner wouldn’t be an issue, as they formed a solid duo last season. But the addition of Acuff and Thomas into the backcourt might create a scenario with too many mouths to feed if Fland were to return. After all, there’s only one basketball to share.
Still, it wouldn’t be wise to count out Calipari’s loyalty to his guys – especially when he has the opportunity to create the nation’s most talented backcourt if he gets Fland back into the fold. But this feels a lot less likely than Knox returning.
2) Jamir Watkins
The highly-coveted Florida State transfer is one of the top remaining forwards in the portal. Watkins averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals and was named second-team All-ACC. The 6-foot-7 senior shot 42.7% from the field and 32.1% from behind the arc, though he was more efficient as a spot-up shooter, converting 39% of his open catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Watkins is a solid two-way player, and while NBA scouts sometimes find him to be a “master of none,” he certainly fits the bill for a “jack of all trades.” Best of Arkansas Sports’ Brandon Baker listed him as the best-fitting transfer for the Razorbacks’ need for a versatile frontcourt piece alongside Brazile and the two bigs. Watkins is capable of playing as a wing or a power forward.
The talented 23-year-old reportedly wants to go pro if he gets an opportunity, but there is “very little traction for him in the first round” even after his impressive Combine performance, according to 247Sports scouting director Adam Finkelstein. ESPN’s latest mock draft has Watkins going undrafted, while NBA.com slots him at No. 44 and Yahoo puts him at No. 50.
Finkelstein said a two-way deal is his most likely route to the pros, and that his NIL valuation if he returned to college would “likely start” at more than double the money he would make as a second-round pick. Arkansas has money to spend and a need in the frontcourt, and could offer Watkins the chance to showcase his talents on a more successful team. Calipari also has Ewin, a fellow former Seminole, to help woo his teammate to join him in Fayetteville.
There’s some potential concern on the fit for Watkins, as the potential return of Knox at the three spot and Brazile at the four complicates things. But both Watkins and Knox have versatility as one of their best traits, which makes it possible for the two to play together – especially since they’re both athletic floor-spacers.
Inside Arkansas’ Curtis Wilkerson was initially apprehensive, but came around after watching the two play together at the NBA Combine scrimmages.
“Jamir Watkins was teamed up with him (and) he looked very good in his own right,” Wilkerson said. “I am now very confident those two could coexist and play together.”
Watkins finished the scrimmage with 12 points and 5 rebounds, while Knox put up 8 points and 5 boards. The FSU transfer also turned some heads in Thursday’s scrimmage, scoring 23 points with 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 5 steals.
The Razorbacks will likely face some competition from schools like North Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois and Louisville, but they’ll be in a decent spot to land Watkins if he ends up returning to college for one final year.
1) Karter Knox
The rising sophomore’s decision to stay or go is what Arkansas fans are waiting on with baited breath. Knox has been testing the waters at the NBA Combine while leaving the door open on returning to Fayetteville. The Tampa, Fla., native played his best basketball down the closing stretch of last season, reaching double figures in nine of the final dozen games.
He showcased his ability not only as a spot-up shooter, but also as a versatile defender and someone who can use his big frame (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) to attack the rim off the dribble. Knox impressed scouts at the Combine, putting up solid numbers in the shooting drills and posting a 39.5-inch vertical.
Arkansas’ Karter Knox showing off the bunnies, notching a 39 ½” max vertical 🐰
Tied for the fourth best mark of the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. pic.twitter.com/HzERYT1XDa
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) May 13, 2025
Still, Knox is viewed by most as a relatively raw prospect. Most major mock drafts have him going undrafted, and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman said he “would imagine he heads back to school.” HawgBeat’s Jackson Collier echoed that sentiment.
Knox is one of the rare opportunities a coach will get to land a “six-star recruit” – an experienced blue-chip talent with NBA potential who returns to college to perfect his craft. It’s easy to envision him being the Hogs’ leading scorer next season and playing his way into a lottery slot for the 2026 NBA Draft.
Getting Knox back would be monumental for the Hogs, and you get the sense that Coach Cal is banking on having the broad-shouldered wing as the centerpiece of next year’s roster.
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Inside Arkansas breaks down Arkansas’ roster outlook for next season:
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